Hand in Hand
by smileplease91
Summary: Ten years after their experience in the painting, Ib and Garry's friendship is still as strong as ever. Ib is 19 and Garry is 25 (it is said that Garry is anywhere between 15-18 in the game). After Garry returns from college, they begin to pick up where they left off. For Ib, the future is quite scary, but Garry is ready to face it with her. Can he convince her to join him?
1. A Familiar Face

If anything at all good came out of going to Guertena's painting, it was that Ib and Garry met. Despite the fact that they were complete strangers, Garry protected Ib as an older brother would a younger sibling and showed genuine care and compassion toward her. Not so keen on expressing feelings herself, she found it odd that she bonded so easily with Garry. They had experienced the nightmare of that place together and had escaped with their lives. A bond between them would last forever.

Ib had matured into a beautiful young lady. She kept her brown hair long, and her eyes were still an odd deep crimson. She had, of course, grown and developed the curves of a young woman. She stood about 5'3"- still short, but compared to how tall she was ten years ago, it was an improvement. Still not too emotional, she found herself with only a handful of friends. Garry was one of them.

Garry had only been fifteen at the time he and Ib faced the dangers of the painting, and back then he was already mature. Ib recalled that he never mentioned any family, and when they returned, she found out he had none other than his older cousin, whom he lived with. It was some time before they could see each other after their departure at the gallery, and they rarely got to see each other after that, but they called and wrote frequently. When Garry went away to college, Ib found herself oddly missing him more.

Now twenty-five, Garry had just finished college with a Master's degree to be a high school history teacher, and was returning back home. Ib was both happy and nervous. Would he still be the same? He seemed so in his letters and on the phone, but those could have been facades. Regardless, Ib waited at the airport for his arrival. She went to a local community college, and she was totally skipping class just to see her childhood friend again.

What felt like forever, she finally saw Garry emerge from the crowd, and she could not help but smile. He had become a strikingly handsome man. His purple-tinted hair, much to Ib's humor, was still as unmanageable as it was before he left. It had been six years since they had last seen each other. Garry had gotten tall; at 5'11", he towered over Ib. His steel-gray eyes locked onto the crimson eyes he knew belonged to none other than Ib. Unable to contain herself, Ib ran forward and pushed her way through the crowd, not caring if she offended anyone, until she reached Garry. Arms wide, she jumped and latched onto Garry, nearly knocking him off his feet in the process. He staggered but regained his footing and looked down at her.

"I-Ib?" he stammered, surprised by her enthusiastic embrace. She held him tightly, and in a moment, he wrapped his arms around her as well. Ib was stunned to feel that his body, although still thin, was compact with muscles- especially his back. His stomach still felt as if it were not as built, but it was lean, which is what she preferred. She inhaled his scent; it was still the familiar scent she recalled. It occurred to them at that moment of embrace how much they missed each other.

"Welcome back, Garry."

The words that she spoke never meant so much to him as they did then. They rung in his ear, and he felt himself blush. Him? Blushing? What was he, fifteen again? He smiled and held her closer.

"Thank-you, Ib."

Unbeknownst to Garry, Ib blushed as well. It embarrassed her; if he saw her with red cheeks, he may think her immature. They embraced for a moment or two then released each other and smiled. To Garry, Ib had always been pretty, but she was stunning as a young woman.

"I wasn't expecting anyone to meet me here," he spoke.

"Surprise!" Ib grinned.

"And a pleasant one at that," Garry laughed. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"Oh, what's one day going to hurt?" Ib sighed. "Only a week is left, then finals."

"Hmm, well, don't miss anymore. The last week is the most important. The teachers go over everything again as a review," Garry suggested.

"Yes, 'Dad', I won't miss anymore," Ib joked.

"You're hilarious," Garry dryly said. "So, now what?"

"Good question."

"Well, I found an apartment of my own. My stuff should be here tomorrow. Let's go get my luggage, and I'll take you with me. I'll call a taxi."

"Or I could just drive," Ib offered. "Save you some money."

"That'll work," Garry smiled.

After they retrieved his luggage, they made their way to Garry's apartment. He lived on the first floor, which was convenient for the unloading. Ib helped get the luggage out of her car and waited for him to unlock the door. Inside was spacious but barren (as was to be expected). The living room was large, and there was a divider between it and the kitchen. The kitchen could have been larger, but it would do. There was a hallway which lead to a door where the bedroom was located. In the bedroom there was a closet and another door that lead to the bathroom. Overall, it was a decent apartment. Ib knew Garry would fix it up; he always loved art, even after…

"Well, what do you think?" he asked.

"It's lovely, Garry," Ib replied.

"I'm glad you think so," he smiled. "Um, do your parents know you're here?"

"Er… no… But they won't mind."

"Ib…" Garry sighed. "You should go home. I don't want you to get into trouble."

"Don't you need some help unpacking?"

"I'm fine," he smiled again. "It's not like I have much to unpack anyway. Not until tomorrow that is. Thank you for today, Ib. It meant more than I can express."

Ib felt herself blush, so she turned her back to Garry and faced the door. "You're welcome. See you later!"

She started to walk away, but Garry called out to her, which caused her to stop. "Um, would you like to spend time together Saturday? Catch up on what we missed? I mean, letters and calls can only do so much."

Her face burned. Why was she blushing so much? "I would love to."

She then left the apartment and a smiling Garry behind. Once she returned home, she informed her parents of Garry's return. They seemed happy for her. Ib could recall ten years ago, when their friendship had first begun; her parents were wary of Garry because of the age difference, but soon they realized their daughter was safe around him. As time went on, they loved Garry just like one of their own. They pitied him since he had no family other than his cousin, so they treated him just as they treated Ib. Garry was grateful to them and loved them as well. After she told them about Saturday, she ate supper, showered, and studied some for finals before she fell asleep. When her eyes closed, her nightmares began.

_Ib opened her eyes and immediately was horrified. The area was black with giant colored pictures all around. She looked to see Mary and Garry in front of her. Mary held Ib's red rose in her hand. Garry asked for it back, but Mary just giggled. Not sure what else to do, Garry offered his blue rose in exchange for Ib's rose. Mary complied, the exchange was done, and she ran off with the blue rose. Ib did not understand; this was not what happened. What was she seeing? She felt an unimaginable horror as she saw Garry in front of her, red rose in hand, his eyes in the direction Mary had run off in. In a moment, he turned around and looked at Ib. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks. Mary hated Garry. What was she planning to do with his rose? Garry knelt down in front of her and handed her the rose. _

"_Take good care of it."_

_She started sobbing aloud. What did this mean? Garry smiled at her, hiding his fear. He placed his hand on top of her head. "Hey, don't worry. We just have to get it back from her. Okay?"_

_They followed after Mary and ended up in a long hallway. A tear was heard in the air, and Garry jerked from pain. They looked down at the ground to see a blue rose petal torn in half. "He loves me…" Mary's voice echoed. Garry regained himself, and he and Ib locked eyes. Unable to do anything else, they took several steps, only for the same thing to happen. "He loves me not…" With each few steps, this happened. Ib grabbed Garry's hand and urged him to continue. Another tear, another ripped petal… Garry's hand slipped out of Ib's grasp. She turned around to see him standing bent over, his hands on his knees for support, sweat rolling down his forehead and breathing hard. She walked to him, fear and sorrow in her heart._

"_Ib… I'm sorry… but could you go on without me?" he quietly asked. Ib did not know what to do, to say. What was going on? Why was this so different? "I don't really know what to say… I don't want to lie to you… but I don't want to tell you the truth either… If you need my help…" he looked up at her and smiled weakly. "…I'll come running." _

_Ib reached out to carry but recoiled. No. This was not happening. It could not be happening. She felt tears sting her eyes again. Maybe she could stop Mary in time and get his rose back. She heard another tear, but this time Garry did not even wince, which terrified her. She turned around and took two steps… and heard Garry's body hit the floor. Filled with rage, she ran to the door and into the room to see Mary tear off the last petals to Garry's rose. Her entire body felt as though someone had violently shaken it. She ran out to find Garry motionless and lifeless on the floor, torn blue rose petals all around him. _

Ib's eyelids shot open, and she heard herself screaming and crying Garry's name. Her parents darted into her room, scared and concerned for their daughter. They tried to comfort her, but she would not stop crying. Ib's father found her phone and Garry's number then called him. Despite it being three in the morning, he drove to Garry's apartment and picked him up then took him to Ib. Garry ran into her room and sat down on her bed, where she latched herself onto him and wept. She shook from fear, but after a moment or so, she calmed down and went to sleep. Whenever he tried to leave, she would hold him tighter. Her parents allowed him to stay, and he too soon went to sleep.

When the morning came, Ib thanked her parents and Garry. Luckily, Ib had no class on Fridays, so she and Garry got to catch up on some of the sleep they missed. She felt guilty for troubling her parents so, but she was grateful for their concern and for getting Garry and allowing him to stay with her. With an apology, Ib hugged her parents and Garry. The day went well; Garry went back to his apartment shortly after breakfast to help the movers with his furniture, and Ib studied for finals. It was a rainy day, so there was not much else she could do. She thought about Garry and if he was upset at her. They had roused him up at three in the morning because of a nightmare. Should she tell him? She grabbed her phone and called him. After several rings, he finally picked up, sounding out of breath.

"_Hello? Oh, please be careful with that!" _

"Um, am I interrupting something?" she asked.

"_Just finishing up moving my things into the house,"_ Garry replied.

"Oh… I'm sorry."

"_Ib? What's the matter? You sound upset."_

She did? Garry could always see straight through her.

"I'm sorry about-"

"_It's nothing to be apologetic about, Ib. I'm glad I could be there for you."_

Ib smiled, but she grew nervous. There was a prolonged silence.

"_Ib?"_

"Sorry. Umm… can I tell you about the dream?"

"_Of course you can. But, I think I already have a general idea."_

"You do?"

"_Mmhm. You dreamt about the painting, didn't you?"_

Ib caught her breath, giving Garry the answer. She soon told him all about it. He never once interrupted her and just listened quietly. When she was through, he told her it was just a dream and that he would never leave her. He urged her to listen to calming music or watch a funny program on television before bed, to which she agreed to. She thanked him, and after talking general talk for about fifteen minutes, they hung up. Ib listened to some Chopin, to which she fell asleep to.

Despite talking to Garry and doing what he advised, Ib had the same horrific nightmare and woke up screaming for Garry. Her mother fetched Garry, who comforted Ib again until they both fell asleep. When the morning came, Ib showered and got ready then took Garry to his apartment for him to do the same. Once he was ready, they got into Ib's car and took off toward the city. When she asked where it was they were going, the answer she received was not what she wanted to hear.

They were going to the art exhibit.


	2. The Nightmare Awakens

It was a good thing no one was behind them, for Ib slammed on her brakes and put her car in park. She unbuckled, opened the door, got out, and slammed it shut. Half expecting her reaction, Garry unbuckled and got out as well. Ib paced up and down the street, clearly nearly in a panic, so Garry started toward her but she ordered him to stop.

"Ib-"

"What?! What would- WHY?!"

"It could help you."

"Help? I'm already a mess, Garry! Going there is only going to make it worse!"

Garry gently grabbed her shoulders and leaned down to her. "Ib, listen to me. You started having these nightmares when I came back, right? What if all you need is some closure? Perhaps going back will grant you that."

Ib looked into Garry's eyes and immediately and oddly felt a sense of serenity. He always had a good judgment on what to do, and whenever he spoke, there was candor in what he said. A lump rose in her throat; she _did not_ want to go there. She had avoided that art museum for ten years. Garry gently placed his hand on her cheek, and this surprised her; however, she leaned into his hand, comforted by his touch.

"I'll be by your side, Ib. We'll do this together, just like we did ten years ago. Okay?"

She nodded, knowing that Garry meant what he said. She felt ridiculous; Mary was dead. Garry had burned her painting, which burned her also. Why was Ib so afraid to go back? Nothing like that could happen again. They got back in Ib's car and drove on. They rolled down their windows, the breeze warm and gentle and the sun's light beaming through. In time, they arrived at the museum and parked. For some time, they sat in silence; Garry smiled at Ib and got out, Ib soon following. Once inside, they looked around, not surprised to see that the art pieces had changed. They wondered if Guertena's painting was still there, but their question was answered when they heard visitors speaking of it. Garry glanced at Ib to see fear in her eyes. He reached down and slipped his hand into hers. They found the painting at the place it hung ten years ago and store before the painting, their eyes fixated on it, both with an odd feeling of sadness and terror. Garry noticed Ib was shaking. She had been so young at the time, so of course it would affect her more. He gently squeezed her hand to give her reassurance. They stood there for quite some time before Ib finally gave his hand a light squeeze, which signaled to him she was ready to leave. As they walked to her car, she could not help but smile. She felt as though a huge weight had been taken off her, and she was undeniably happy. She look at Garry to see that he appeared troubled.

"Garry?"

"Hmm?"

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied. "Why?"

"You look upset."

Garry stopped walking, which made her stop as well. He smiled at her, but his eyes held sadness in them. Ib realized that while it gave her comfort, it tormented Garry to go back to the museum. He did not want to go, but he knew it would help her, so he mustered up the courage and went. She felt horrible but grateful nonetheless.

"Garry…" she sighed. "Thank you."

"No thanks is needed. I'm just glad it helped," he spoke kindly. "So, is there anywhere else you'd like to go?"

"Well, I am pretty hungry," Ib replied, slightly embarrassed.

"As am I. Let's get something to eat, and we'll go from there."

After they ate, they decided to go to the park and simply walk around. Conversation between them never stopped as they strolled around. For some odd reason, they started talking about past relationships. Ib had only dated three boys, the longest one lasting four months. Her first kiss was at her friend's birthday party with her longest-lasting relationship. It never went anywhere further than that. Garry admitted that his first kiss was when he was seventeen; derisorily, he tripped in the school hallway and a random girl just happened to be right in front of him, so they locked lips. Luckily, she had a crush on him, and after getting to know each other more, they began dating. That relationship lasted ten months. Ib could recall that one. She thought the girl was really nice. The next relationship he had was when he was twenty, and it lasted a year.

"Did you…" Ib stopped.

"Did I what?"

"Did you ever…?"

Garry understood what it was Ib was trying to ask but was too discomfited to. Instantly, he felt awkward, but he could never lie to her. "Yes," he honestly retorted, "with the one that lasted a year."

"Oh," was all Ib could say. What did she expect? "…Was it love?"

Garry exhaled a long, deep breath. "I thought it was, but it wasn't. We just got caught up in our needs, is all."

Ib felt ashamed for asking such personal questions, but Garry was completely open and honest with her. Honesty was his best trait, for it never faltered. They spent the rest of the day merely walking around and talking. To each other, they were just as interesting as they were when they first met. The hours quickly passed, and before they knew it, darkness had fallen and it was time for Ib to head home. She drove Garry back to his apartment, and before he got out of the car, he hesitated a moment. He then reached up and gently placed a lock of her hair behind her ear, smiled at her, and left. Ib felt her cheeks burn as she watched him enter his apartment and shut the door behind him. She waited a moment then returned home.

Summer came quickly, and college was over until the fall semester. Ib passed all of her finals and performed exceptionally well in her classes. As a reward, Garry promised her that he would take her anywhere she wanted to go as long as it was within reason that Saturday. She thought all week about where she wanted to go. Garry had bought a car so that he could get around without having to rely so much on Ib or her parents. When Saturday came, Ib had Garry drive them to the river, which was her favorite place in the world. In their younger days, her parents would bring Ib and Garry here, and this was where Garry and her father had taught her how to swim.

Ib noticed that Garry was looking more and more exhausted with each passing day. She was worried that their visit to the art exhibit had affected him, but he always hid his feelings with a smile and positivity. Although she wanted to ask, she knew he would deny it and tell her not to worry about him. As long as she had known him, he had been so selfless and concerned for her. And now, whenever she was around him, she felt something she had never before. There was hardly a moment where they were not smiling or laughing when they were together.

Garry got to know Ib's few friends. Nora Enders was Ib's closest friend other than Garry. She had a bubbly personality that always seemed to light up in her bright green eyes. She was slightly taller than Ib with long black hair. She had a big crush on Ib's other male friend, Allen Musgrove. Allen was shorter than Garry with blonde hair and blue eyes. He had a scar above his left eyebrow, but Nora paid no mind. Garry invited them all to come to the river with them on Saturday, and they agreed.

Saturday rolled around, and luckily the weather was perfect. They all met at the river, the girls with clothes over their swimming suits, the boys wearing t-shirts and their swimming trunks. Other people were there, but they did not mind at all; it was an open, public place, after all. They had brought a picnic lunch along and some drinks; the boys carried the food over while the girls laid the massive blanket down and set the towels to the side. The girls then stripped down to their bathing suits; Garry and Allen tried not to stare but found it was hard not to do. Garry and Allen then removed their t-shirts, and the girls turned away, hiding their blushing faces. They played rock-paper-scissors to see who went into the river first; Garry lost, so he had to go first. He jumped in and swam back up to the surface, his eyes wide.

"It's a little cold," he said, "but you'll get used to it."

When they all had entered the water, they swam around and played until they were hungry. They exited the water, ate lunch, and sat on the blanket until their food was digested. Nora then decided to go back swimming and invited Allen; Ib started to follow, but Garry stopped her and winked at her. She understood and told Nora and Allen to go on without them.

"Why? Don't you guys want to swim some more?" Nora asked.

"Well, yeah, but we're still really full," Garry replied.

"We'll swim later. We may walk around for a bit, just to let our food settle better. You guys have fun," Ib smiled.

"Suit yourselves," Allen shrugged. He and Nora ran to the river and jumped in. Garry and Ib winked at each other, hoping their tactic would work. They watched Allen and Nora for a bit, happy to see that they were swimming together and joking around. Then, to their relief, they saw Allen lean in and place a soft kiss on Nora's lips. Garry and Ib smiled at each other, elated to see their plan had worked. Allen had told Garry he had feelings for Nora but was too nervous to tell her while Nora had told them both she had feelings for Allen. To see them finally express their feelings for each other was a great thing. Garry and Ib agreed that they were going to let Allen and Nora have their moment by walking around the area. Garry stood up, and just as he held his hand out to Ib-

"Hey, watch out!" they heard a boy call out. Suddenly, a grounder baseball hit a bump on the ground and bounced up, only to hit Ib right under her right eye. She made a faint cry from the pain and covered her eye with her hands as Garry dropped down to his knees beside her, deeply concerned for her. He removed her hands to see a dark bruise already formed under her eye, and a small cut was there as well. The boy who had thrown the ball ran over and knelt down beside her as well. Allen and Nora had seen what happened and began to swim back to the shore to check on Ib.

"Oh, geez! I'm so, so, so sorry! Are you okay?"

"It was an accident. Don't worry," Ib winced, smiling at the boy.

"Here, let me take a look at it," the boy said as he reached for her.

"Get back!" Garry growled as he pushed the boy's arms away. At this, Garry, Ib, and the boy seemed shocked; however, Garry wasted no time. He helped Ib to her feet and began walking to his car. Nora and Allen started packing everything they had brought, despite Ib's protests that she was fine. The boy ran after Ib and Garry, obviously tormented by what he had done. He asked for Ib's name and phone number so that he could check on her, to which Ib gave it. After they had everything packed and into the car, they drove back to town and took Ib to the doctor just to make sure everything was all right. The bruise was very dark and the cut had managed to stop bleeding, but other than that she was fine, so the doctors told her to take Tylenol for the pain and sent her home. Nora and Allen left shortly after to go to the movies, but Garry stayed with Ib. Later that day, the boy called Ib to check on her, but she was asleep, so Garry talked to him.

"Hello?"

"_Um, is this Ib's phone?"_

"It is. You must be the boy from earlier today," Garry said.

"_Er… yeah. Listen, I'm very, very sorry-"_

"Don't worry about it," Garry gently told him. "I'm sorry as well. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. It was an accident."

"_Is she okay?"_

"She's got a nasty black eye and a cut, but she's fine. She's asleep right now," Garry replied. "Thank you for your concern and for calling to check up on her."

"_It's the least I can do. My name is Roy, by the way." _

"Garry," he introduced himself. "If you'd like, we can meet up and you can talk to Ib personally when she wakes up. She'll be glad to see you concerned."

"_I'd like that,"_ Roy said. _"Let me know when she does, okay?"_

When Ib woke up, it was around six o'clock. Garry told her that Roy had called to check on her and about their plans to meet up, to which she agreed to. She called Roy and told him to meet them at the local café around seven. She had a slight headache, so she dressed down in sweat pants and a t-shirt and tied her hair up in a ponytail; she did not wear any makeup due to the fact her eye was so messed up. Despite all this, to Garry she was still beautiful. He drove them to the café, where they met with Roy. Before, they had not gotten a good look at him, but he was actually a very attractive young man. He was twenty-one and in college to be a nurse. He was almost as tall as Garry and had piercing brown eyes and short black hair, thin lips but a vibrant smile. When he saw Ib's eye, he grew very upset, but Ib reassured him it was all right. They sat and talked for a while; it was revealed he went to Ib's community college as well and lived in the same apartment complex as Garry. He was a kind young man, and was deeply apologetic for what happened to Ib. They left the café and began to walk around the town; it was clear that they would become friends quickly. As they continued to walk, they drew closer to the art exhibit. They could see police cars there, and in front of the museum they could see the owner of the museum talking to the police, who had surrounded someone. When they neared the scene, what they saw made Ib and Garry stop dead in their tracks.

The person whom the cops surrounded…

Looked just like an adult Mary.


	3. Virtue

Garry and Ib stood frozen in place, their eyes wide in shock and fear. Roy was confused at what had spooked them so. He looked at the girl, unable to sense any clear danger from her. He walked up to the police and began to try to understand the situation. For Garry and Ib, their time they experienced in Guertena's painting came back full-force. It could not be Mary; they had burned her picture ten years ago, thus burning her existence. Ib's heart felt as if it had stopped, and Garry's was beating out of his chest. She felt Garry wrap his arm around her waist, as if ready to defend her at any moment… but from what? Mary had also grown like Ib and Garry had, but how? All noise around them seemed muddled, and their vision tunneled around the girl who looked like Mary. Roy appeared to be flustered, and before Ib realized it, Garry had begun to walk over to the group.

"There you are, Mary!" he called out to the girl. The girl's eyes widened as she locked them onto Garry. Both he and Ib comprehended that was in fact her name, but he did not falter. "We've been looking everywhere for you!"

"You know this girl?" one of the policemen asked.

"Yes, sir," Garry replied, "she's a friend. See, we came to the exhibit not too long before it closed, and we lost track of her. She has narcolepsy, so she more than likely sat down somewhere in the museum and fell asleep. We're very sorry, but we're happy you found her."

Ib could not believe how smoothly Garry told the lie. If she was in the police's shoes, she would have believed it. Roy must have believed it as well, for he had a smirk on his face that seemed to tell her he found the story hilarious. The police exchanged glances then laughed, humored by the story. They took the handcuffs off Mary's wrists and put them away.

"It's quite alright. Just keep an eye on her and make sure it doesn't happen again," a policewoman politely warned.

"Thank you so much," Garry nodded. When the police drove away, Garry exhaled a sigh of relief. Ib slowly made her way over to Garry, Mary, and Roy, unsure on what would occur once she got there. When she did, she was amazed at Mary's beauty. Somehow or another, she had matured into a young lady around Ib's age. Her golden hair was long, and her eyes were the color of the sky on a cloudless day. Naturally, she had developed the features of a young woman, and she wore a light green dress that was comparable with the one she wore ten years ago. She was around Ib's height, perhaps slightly taller.

Despite feeling uneasy, Garry smiled at Mary, who nervously smiled back at him. "That was a close call, huh?"

"Thank-you," Mary quietly spoke, "but… why did you do that? We've never met before."

Garry and Ib's eyes widened in shock. Never met?

"Um, what do you mean by that?" Ib whispered.

"Was… I not clear?" Mary questioned, not trying to sound rude as she did. "We've never met."

"Are you certain? I know it's been a long time, but ten years ago-"

"We saw you here," Garry interrupted Ib. "It was a brief exchange. We were very young, so it's possible you forgot."

Mary smiled and giggled apprehensively. "I'm terribly sorry. It seems I have forgotten. But… that's not the only thing I've… forgotten."

Roy took off his jacket and put it around Mary's shoulders. The night was cool, and Mary had goose-bumps on her skin from the chilliness. "Forgotten? How so?"

"Thank-you," Mary smiled at Roy for his kind act. She hugged the jacket closer to her, letting its warmth sink into her skin. "I mean, I just… woke up here. In the museum. I don't remember what I was doing before then, or where I was… nothing. I woke up in a storage room, and I was trying to find my way out when I set off the alarm. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to cause any issues."

"Haha, well, looks like I wasn't lying after all," Garry laughed.

Roy took a look at Mary's head in order to check for any bumps or bruises, but found none. "Well, that's certainly odd. What about family? Do you remember them?"

"I… don't think I have any," Mary replied. "Not that I recall, anyway."

"Well, you _have_ lost your memory, so here's what I propose. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the police station. See if anyone has sent in a missing person's ad about you. Sound good?" Roy proposed.

Garry and Ib were stunned at just how nice Roy was being to a total stranger. He had been really nice to Ib after their slight accident, so they conjectured he was just an exceptionally nice young man. Mary was even astonished at his kindness.

"Sounds great," Mary agreed.

"Do you need a place to stay?" Roy asked. "I live in an apartment complex about three miles from here."

"Hold on a moment," Garry intervened. "Do you live at Hamilton Plaza?"

"Indeed. Apartment forty-two C," Roy answered. "Why do you ask?"

"You live in the same complex I do," Garry laughed. "We could have totally met there!"

"Imagine that," Ib giggled.

"I have a question for you, as well," Mary spoke. "Why are you being so nice? What do you want?"

Roy looked at her for a moment, trying to figure out what she had asked him. When he did, he was visibly hurt by her accusation. He exhaled sadly and smiled. "Can't a guy just do something nice for a girl without being accused of trying to do something terrible?"

"Oh! I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your… your feelings," Mary stammered. "I do need a place to stay…"

"Well, you're welcomed to my place," Roy stated. He held out his hand to her. "My name is Roy, by the way."

"Mary," she giggled as she shook his hand. She then looked at Ib and winced. "Oh my goodness! What happened to your eye?"

"Baseball accident," Ib replied.

After this, they went to their abodes for the night. Ib and Garry, surprisingly, fell asleep rather easily. Roy allowed Mary to sleep in his bed while he slept on his couch. Mary felt guilty for doing so, but she was very grateful for Roy's kindness and hospitality. The next day, Roy had to work so he left Mary some money in case she got hungry or wanted to go anywhere. He entered his room quietly, gathered his work clothes, entered his bathroom, got ready, and left- all without disturbing Mary's sleep. When she awoke, she saw the note Roy had left her. Again, she felt guilty and awkward for all of Roy's aid, but happy nonetheless. Roy worked at a restaurant full-time as a cook in order to afford college and his apartment. Due to his work schedule, he could only take twelve credit hours per semester (since it was summer, this did not apply), but he was determined to finish college as a culinary artist in order to own a restaurant of his own.

At around one in the afternoon, Garry knocked on Roy's door, Ib with him. Her eye was worse than it was the day before, and again she had no makeup and was wearing relaxation clothes. They checked on Mary to see how she was doing and stayed with her until Roy was to get off work. Ib fixed some lunch since Mary was too shy to use the money Roy had left behind for her. Nora and Allen came over as well and introduced themselves to Mary. When Roy came back, he was definitely surprised to see so many over at his apartment but was really laidback about it and introduced himself to Nora and Allen as well. He told Mary that on the way back, he stopped by the police station to see if any missing person's ads concerning Mary were there, but sadly there was not. Mary just smiled and told him not to worry about it; Garry told her in the meantime, they would work with her to help her get her memories back.

"What about a place to stay? I can't just stay here…" Mary spoke.

"And why not?" Roy asked.

"I can't. It's rude, Roy. I can't keep taking advantage of you."

"Taking advantage? Mary, I offered you my place to stay. I don't mind it one bit. It gets kinda lonely every once in a while, so it'd be great to have some company," Roy smiled. "So, don't feel bad at all."

It was settled that Mary was to live with Roy. She did not have any clothes, makeup, or anything of the sort, so Garry, Allen, and Roy agreed to split money and have Ib and Nora take her shopping. The boys accompanied them and immediately regretted it when they entered the mall. In about thirty minutes, the guys simply handed over their credit cards to the girls and found recliners to relax in. Later that evening, they ate supper and returned back to Roy's apartment to set up an area for Mary to have. While they were out, Roy bought an air mattress so that he would not have to sleep on the couch, and he inflated that. Mary thanked everyone for being so generous to her, and she promised to repay them.

A month passed by.

It was certainly different having a female in his apartment. Roy had, of course, girlfriends before, but never had any actually stayed with him. They found each other very easy to be around, and they laughed together often. Naturally, they had their arguments, but for the most part, they got along exceptionally well. Mary had gotten a job as a waitress in the same restaurant Roy worked at so she could help contribute to the monthly dues and everything else. They helped each other with chores around the apartment, but Mary let Roy cook since he was so great at it; he offered to teach her, but she was really shy about it.

Garry and Ib also became closer to each other as they spent nearly every day together. Everyone expected the two to become an established couple any day. Ib's eye was better minus for a small scar (to which Roy apologized for consistently). Nora and Allen had moved very quickly, but were madly in love with each other and living together. Garry and Ib thought it was just meant to be. Day by day, Garry, Ib, Roy, Nora, and Allen tried to help Mary recover her memories, but it nothing seemed to work. It frustrated Mary to no end, but they all encouraged her to keep at it and to not get discouraged.

"These things take time, Mary," Nora said with a smile on her face. "There's no need to rush it. We're here for you. Okay?"

One day, Roy returned home from work on a day Mary was off, surprised to see the place nearly ransacked. Mary stood at the window, her back toward him, crying loudly. Roy, concerned, started toward her but stopped. A pair of open, bloody scissors was clenched tightly in her hand, which blood dripped from. He slowed down and became cautious.

"M-Mary?" he stammered.

"The rose… where is my rose?"

"Roses?"

"Yes… my yellow rose. I can't live without it!"

Roy swallowed hard. "You've never had a yellow rose, Mary."

"Do you think I'm stupid?!" she screamed at him as she wheeled around. Her eyes were filled with anger and hate, which was something he was not used to seeing from her. She clenched the open pair of scissors tighter, blood flowing faster from her hand. "You bastard! You must have stolen it from me! I can't find it!"

Roy took a step toward her, but she took a step back, so he stopped. "I-I'll find your yellow rose, okay, Mary? I'll be right back."

He turned around to walk out and head to town to buy her a yellow rose. Just as he reached the door, he heard her gasp and the scissors hit the floor. "Roy?"

He turned around to see her eyes wide, as if she had woken up from a horrible nightmare. Her wounded hand was unclenched, and she looked around the apartment in bewilderment. Highly perplexed, he made his way to her, stopped in front of her, and looked into her eyes; she was back. Nearly hyperventilating, her legs became shaky, but Roy steadied her.

"Wh… what… R-Roy? I…" she stammered, unable to get a word out.

"Let me see your hand," Roy softly ordered as he gently reached for it.

"What did I do?... What did I do…?" she asked. Soon, she began to sob. This confused Roy as well.

"Why are you crying?" he asked. She continued to cry, unable to tell him the answer. "Mary? Why are you crying?" he questioned again, this time wrapping his arms around her. She cried onto his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him as well, gathering bunches of his shirt in her fists, her blood soaking it. "Shh… It's all right, Mary. Nothing to worry about. It's all right…" he whispered into her ear in effort to calm her down. She wept harder onto his shoulder as he sat there quietly, letting her cry until she could not cry any longer.


	4. Changes

Roy did not bring up what happened to Mary around her. She apologized often for trashing the apartment, and it took them three days to clean it and reorganize everything. He took good care of her hand and kept it bandaged, cleaned, and wrapped up. Just to be on the safe side, as he came home from work one day, he bought her a bouquet of yellow roses, which she was especially grateful for; however, she seemed lost on the reason as to why he had bought them for her. It was as if she had no recollection of what she had done and the state she had been in at the time she wounded her hand and made a mess of their apartment. Roy thought it was best to let sleeping dogs lie, and he did not want to upset her. On the other hand, he did decide to talk to Garry about it. Three days after the event, he finally got to talk to Garry about what had happened; Ib stayed in Roy's apartment with Mary while Roy and Garry took a walk down the road.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Garry asked.

"…Something happened the other night. To Mary."

Garry looked at Roy, concern in his eyes. "Is she okay? I noticed she's been sort of distant these past three days."

Roy exhaled, stopped walking, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Garry stopped walking as well. "I don't know… Everything was fine, but she just snapped. I came home from work, and she had completely ransacked the place. She was holding a pair of scissors, open-bladed, so tightly that they cut into her hand. She was crying loudly and accusing me of stealing a yellow rose… even called me a bastard, Garry. But, she suddenly snapped out of it, and it's as if she had no memory of ever doing it."

When Roy looked at Garry, he was surprised to see utmost terror in his eyes. For Garry, it seemed as if time had frozen. He had left Ib alone with Mary; what if something happened? He wanted to run back to Roy's apartment, but he knew if anything was wrong, Ib would call him or run away. Despite his fear, he quickly caught himself and smiled at Roy.

"Has she had any more episodes?"

"No, but… why did you look so scared?" Roy asked.

"Huh?"

"You looked horrified. Why?"

Garry shook his head. "Don't worry about it."

Roy crossed his arms. "You can't tell me that, Garry. Not after looking so scared. Now, tell me, or I'll ask Ib."

Garry laughed heartily. "Ib wouldn't tell you, friend. She wants to forget it just as much as I do… But, I suppose if Mary's going to be staying with you, you should know." He inhaled and exhaled deeply, as if preparing himself for the memories that were to rush over him like waves on the beach. "Ten years ago…"

Roy listened intently as Garry explained to him about the events that occurred in Guertena's painting. It seemed so bizarre, but Roy had no choice but to believe him; Garry was easily trustworthy. Every word that came out of his mouth clung to Roy. There was no way Mary could be the same "Mary" they encountered inside the painting; yet, she had been angry over "losing" a yellow rose, which was what "Mary" had in the painting. When Garry finished the story, Roy staggered but leaned back on a tree for support. His legs suddenly felt very heavy, and the area seemed to spin around him. They had destroyed the painting, so there was no way their Mary could be the same one, and Garry apparently knew just what Roy was thinking.

"I'm not saying that she's the same Mary, but maybe... perhaps she's Guertena's daughter or granddaughter, and he made another painting with her in it. Somehow or another, it's manifested and has collection of what happened ten years ago."

Roy shook his head, somewhat frustrated by what Garry said. "How can that even be possible?"

Garry shrugged. "I'm not sure. It's a possibility that we cannot ignore." He looked at Roy, recognizing his distress. "If you want, I can take her off your hands. She can stay with me."

Roy leaned off the tree and stood upright. He looked over toward the apartment complex and smiled. "Nah, man, I'm all right. I can take care of her."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," Roy nodded as he looked at Garry, "it's no trouble at all."

"What if she loses it again? What then?"

"Then, I'll stop her. I'll be there for her."

Garry nodded and put his hand on Roy's shoulder. "You're a good person, Roy."

Roy smirked. "Yeah, I know."

They suddenly heard Ib and Mary call out to them. They looked back up at the apartment complex to see them walking toward them. That night, they went out to eat with Nora and Allen, and they all had a great time. They took a photo together with Ib's camera, which she would develop it once she got home. On the way home, Garry drove and Ib fell asleep in the passenger's side, leaning on the door. When they arrived at her house, Garry gently shook several times, but she did not wake up. He smiled to himself, got out and walked to the other side, where he opened the door and unbuckled Ib's seatbelt. Scooping up gently into his arms, he lifted her out of the seat and carried her into her house. Her parents met them at the door and smiled at Garry, who then walked to Ib's room and placed her in her bed, where she continued to sleep. As he began to exit the house, Ib's father stopped him.

"I need to talk to you, Garry." Garry's heart started to beat out of his chest. Those were the words no man ever wanted to hear a girl's father say. He thought over all the things he perhaps could have done to upset Ib's parents; Ib's father must have noticed Garry's apprehension and laughed to ease the tension away. "I'm not upset with you. Just going to point something out to you that my wife and I have noticed."

"Yes, sir?"

"Well, dear, you've been spending plenty of time with our daughter, and we think it's time you tell her how you feel," Ib's mother smiled.

"Come again?" Garry asked, stunned.

"I don't like admitting it since it has to do with my little girl, but I know love when I see it," Ib's father spoke. "You two have been friends for a very long time, and I understand if you're hesitant to tell her. I can assure you that your worries are for naught."

"She loves you, Garry," Ib's mother softly said.

Garry was at a loss for words. He was breathless for a brief moment before laughing warmly. "With all due respect, I feel as if this is something that Ib should tell me."

Ib's father smirked and pat Garry's back. "You're right, son. Our apologies for ganging up on you like this."

"There's nothing to be sorry for. You're just doing your job," Garry smiled. "I'll see you two later."

He decided not to tell Ib the conversation her parents had with him. He knew it would embarrass her greatly, and that perhaps she would become upset with them. Also, he decided to tell Ib about what Roy had discussed with him concerning Mary. Ib had a right to know considering what all she went through when they were in the painting together. It would distress her, no doubt, but she had to know. When he reached his apartment, he noticed that Nora and Allen were standing outside his room, waiting for him. He walked up to them, unsure on why they were there, for it was late and they had just seen each other.

"What's going on, you two?" he asked them. "Is everything all right?"

Nora sighed, and Allen put his arm around her shoulder. "We wanted to tell Ib, but we weren't sure how," she spoke.

"Tell her what?"

Nora's eyes filled with tears. "My parents were in a very bad car accident this evening," she spoke. "They both survived but are injured greatly. I have to go back home to take care of them… they don't have anyone else."

"Oh, Nora… I'm so sorry," Garry sympathized as he reached out and put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"I'm going with her," Allen added.

"That's very noble of you, Allen," Garry nodded. "She needs you right now."

"I'm not sure if we'll come back or not. It depends on the severity of the issue," Nora continued. "We're leaving tomorrow morning."

"I understand," Garry said. "I'll tell Ib, Mary, and Roy. We'll come see you off."

Nora could not hold the tears back anymore, and they rolled down her cheeks. She latched her arms around Garry, her tears dampening his shirt. Garry hugged her back; he felt an immense amount of pain for her, but he knew that he could not take the ache away from Nora's heart. She released Garry and walked to Allen's car. Allen held out his hand, and Garry reciprocated and shook his hand.

"You've been a great friend, Garry," Allen smiled sadly. "We only wish we could have met you sooner."

"Likewise, friend," Garry agreed. He looked at Nora then back at Allen. "Take care of her, okay?"

Allen smiled again. "I promise."

At the airport the next morning, it was a tearful good-bye for Ib as she, along with Garry, Roy, and Mary, saw off Nora and Allen. Nora and Allen hugged Ib, tears rolling down Nora's face. Ib gave them a copy of the photo they had taken the night before, which made them happy to have for memory's sake. They then walked into the airport, and in moments, the friends watched as the airplane flew away into the morning sky. On the way back home, Ib did not divert his gaze from out the window; Garry knew she was still crying and that she did not want him to see her tears. With his right hand, he reached over and gently wrapped it around Ib's left hand and rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand. Ib felt somewhat comforted by this. She began to think about just how much Garry had been there for her. Even when they were complete strangers in the painting, he protected her with his life and made certain that she was all right. As the years passed, he was always the first one she went to for help and was the one who stuck by her no matter what happened. She looked at him, and it hit her just how handsome he was, not only on the outside but on the inside as well. Unable to hide her blushing, she looked back to the window. The car ride remained in silence.

Another month passed. Luckily, it had passed without another episode from Mary. Roy kept yellow roses in the house and replenished them the moment they began to wilt in order to prevent another episode from occurring. It was a good thing Mary loved the roses so much, and Roy did not mind having them in his apartment. At first, they did not hear from Allen and Nora, but finally, two weeks later, Ib got an email from them informing them that Nora's parents were on the long road to recovery. Ib had put the photo she had taken of all of them in a frame and placed it on her desk; Nora informed her that she had done the same with the copy she had.

One day, there was a festival in town. Garry took Ib to the festival; unfortunately, Mary and Roy had to work and missed it. At the festival, Garry and Ib walked around and played some games as well as ate "junk food", which Ib said was a must when it came to festivities. At one point, they passed by a band playing music. People were dancing and having a great time. Ib smiled, ran to where everyone was dancing, and began to dance as well.

"Come on!" she giggled, urging Garry to join her.

"Er, I don't dance," Garry shyly said, his cheeks red from chagrin.

"Don't be silly! Everyone can dance," Ib argued lightly.

"Everyone but me."

"Oh, poppycock! Dance with me!" She held out a hand to him. He looked around, exhaled, and took her hand. It took a couple of dances, but eventually, Garry learned and danced as well as anyone else. Just the smile on Ib's face brought undeniable pleasure to Garry, and he realized something at that moment. He was unsure on what to do about it, but he decided to think about it later and just enjoy the time with Ib. Before they realized it, they danced the night away at the festival.

As they were heading back to Ib's house, Garry chose to drive out to the river instead. The sky was clear, and the moon and stars shone brightly in the sky. The water glistened with the moon's light. They got out of the car and walked to the shore, where they next took off their shoes and socks and walked in the water. Ib looked at Garry, who was looking out at the river.

"So, why are we here, Garry?"

"Hmm? Well, it's a beautiful night out. I just thought we should stop here for a minute."

Ib smiled and looked out at the river as well. "Thank you. This place holds many dear memories to me, you know. Also, this is where we got Nora and Allen together, and where we met Roy."

"This is a dear place to me as well," Garry said. He then inhaled and exhaled deeply; his heart nearly beat out of his chest due to his nervousness. "I… have a confession to make."

Ib looked at Garry, a smirk on her face and an eyebrow raised. "Oh? Sounds juicy. Tell me!"

Garry turned and looked at her, his eyes full of anxiety. "You sure? It could change everything."

Ib giggled. "Now you _have_ to tell me! This sounds intense!"

He had to tell her now. He could not ignore it any longer. Her parents were right; it had been so for a while. "I love you."

As expected, Ib appeared to be shocked. Her mouth was agape and her eyes were wide. "Wh-what?"

She sounded utterly baffled at his declaration. Garry prepared himself for rejection, but he had to explain it to her, even if it ended up in heartache. "I have been for quite some time, Ib. I've tried hiding it, but I'm not going to anymore. If you could find it in your heart to be with someone like me, I would be the happiest man in the world." Ib was still stunned and unable to speak. "You don't have to answer me right away. I'll give you all the time in the world."

Finally, she swallowed and took a breath. "I don't have to answer right away?" Garry nodded. "Okay. Well, I want to answer now." She smiled widely. "I'm so happy you finally told me, Garry. I've been in love with you for a very long time."

He had built a wall for rejection, but he was not prepared for her to say that she loved him as well. It felt like he had been hit by a brick wall, but it was the best feeling he had ever had. "You mean it?"

"Of course!" Ib giggled. "I love you, Garry. I'll gladly be by your side."

Unable to contain himself, he reached out and hugged her. She leaned her head on his chest and hugged him back. "Thank you, Ib… I'll do my best to make you happy."

Ib smiled and closed her eyes, allowing this moment to sink in. It seemed so unreal, and she expected at any moment to wake up in her bed. Even if that were to happen, she wanted this moment to last. They stood in each other's embrace, wordlessly communicating their love for each other. In the distance, frogs were heard singing their songs.


	5. I'll Love You

Things changed after the night Ib and Garry revealed their feelings for each other, but in a good way. They were not afraid to show affection toward each other like they were before. The first time Garry held Ib's hand in public made her heart soar. Roy and Mary were elated that the two finally confessed their love for each other and supported it completely. Ib's parents joked that it was about time that this event occurred since they had known it all along; they liked Garry and knew that he was a good person for their daughter to love.

Roy and Mary were still living together in his apartment. He maintained fresh yellow roses as always for her, but he was certain that even if he did not, she would be all right. She had not exhibited anymore episodes since that one time; however, he did keep an eye on her. Despite Ib and Garry knowing what had happened, they treated Mary just the same as before and remained her friends.

The summer passed quickly, and it was time for school to start. Garry started teaching high school before Ib and Roy began college. Mary decided not to go to college that year; she wanted to gain more money and not have Roy support her college funds since he could barely support his own. Garry enjoyed teaching high school, much to Ib's happiness. Fall semester of college began, and Mary went full-time at the restaurant she and Roy worked at in order to make things easier for the both of them. Often, Roy would go straight from school to work and stay up all night doing homework. Mary felt sorry for him and would try to help out every way she could, such as keeping the apartment immaculate and cooking for him when he had a chance to sit down and eat. Despite things being hectic, she and Roy still enjoyed each other's company greatly. Oddly, she found herself missing Roy when he was away, and when he was around, she had a peculiar feeling in her chest.

One day, Roy returned home to see a new painting hung up on his wall. All it consisted of was just a dark blue color and nothing more. There was a golden frame around it, but as for other art on it, there was nothing. Mary told him that she was walking home by the museum and they were just giving it away, stating it must have somehow ended up in their museum by accident. She thought it matched with the interior, and since it was being given away, she thought she might as well take it. Roy smiled and told her she had a better taste in furniture and interior than he did, so he trusted her judgment. Two months passed by, and things were going smoothly, until one evening when Roy returned home. He noticed the yellow roses were beginning to wilt. It was late, and the flower shop was not open in order for him to get a fresh dozen; however, if Mary were to notice the roses wilting, he feared what would happen. He decided to hide them, and just as he picked them up-

"What are you doing with my roses?!"

Roy wheeled around to see Mary standing in the living room, her eyes filled with anger. In fact, her entire demeanor seemed completely different. Her left hand was behind her back. "Er, well-"

Mary took a step toward him. "I knew it! You're trying to kill me!"

Roy remembered everything that Garry had told him about the painting. He shook his head. "Not at all. I'm trying to keep you alive. See? These are wilting. I have to put more water in the vase, or the petals will fall."

Mary snarled her lip. "I'll do it. You just leave them alone."

Roy kept his cool, regardless of Mary's fury. "I want to help you. They're fragile, after all." He turned to the sink in order to put more water in the vase- through the corner of his eye, he saw the glare of metal, and he felt a sharp pain on his cheek. Stunned by the pain, he dropped the vase in the sink (which luckily did not break) and cried out. He reached up and placed his hand on his cheek; he brought down his hand and was surprised to see blood on it. Eyes wide and alert, he looked at Mary to see a bloody pair of scissors in her left hand. Her eyes were narrow in rage, and she gripped the scissors tightly.

"I told you to leave them alone!" she yelled.

"M-Mary…" Roy stammered. "Look… I put them in the sink, okay? You can put the water in them."

He started to walk away to leave her alone, but just as he got to her, she gasped and dropped the scissors. He felt her hands cling onto his shirt, forcing him to stop. He turned toward her to see tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Roy! I hurt you, didn't I?"

Roy shook his head and smiled. "It's fine. Just a scratch is all. Nothing to worry about."

Mary began to sob out loud as she leaned her head on Roy's chest. "Why?! Why does this happen… I'm sorry, Roy. I'm sorry… I'm so sorry!"

All he knew to do was hold her tightly as she cried. He wanted to help her somehow, but he was not sure. The only thing he wanted was for her to be happy and to not cry anymore. The next day, he got her a dozen yellow roses; when he gave them to her, she cried yet again. She felt so guilty for have hurting him. He had to keep a bandage on his face where she had cut him with the scissors, and surely the wound would leave a scar. It was because of her…

After that incident, Mary chose to talk to Garry about what had happened. She invited him over the next time he had the chance. Four days passed until he was able to come over and speak to her. Ib came along with him, for she realized something was troubling both Roy and Mary. In the two classes they had together, Roy was somewhat quiet, which was not like him at all. When they came over, Mary had the television on the news; Roy watched the news often, and since he was always gone, she kept up to date with the news and would relate to him what she had seen. It was about twenty minutes before she started talking to the two of them about what had happened four nights ago. In the middle of telling them, Ib suddenly froze, her eyes stuck on the television. Mary and Garry turned their attention to the screen and were shocked by what they saw.

"Mary…" Ib breathed. "She looks just like you…"

On the screen was a young woman who looked identical to Mary. An item on the news was about a painting Guertena had done; apparently, it had gone missing, and the girl on the screen was looking for it.

"_I am Guertena's daughter, Mary. My father passed away two months ago, and the last painting he did was of me. He gave it to a museum, but I cannot recall which one… He was a very well-known artist, and I'm sure he has pieces all over the world. If anyone knows where the painting is, please send me an email or call me. I wish to have it as a memoriam of my father. I would be so very thankful to you…" _

Her information appeared on the screen. Garry and Mary were at a loss for words. They were not even sure what they were supposed to be feeling at the moment. When they came to their senses, they realized Mary was gone. The door was wide open, and they could hear the rain pouring outside. They ran out to the porch and looked down to see her running down the stairs, so they took off after her. Garry was fast on his feet, and in no time he caught up with her. She had tears streaming down her face, and at first she struggled to get away, but Garry held her tightly as she cried. Five minutes passed by, the rain drenching them, before she finally calmed down.

"Mary…"

"I knew," she spoke. "I knew something was different about me… That day when the museum was giving that plain painting away… when I saw it… I felt odd. Like, it was my home." She laughed sadly, bowed her head, and closed her eyes. "Silly, isn't it? A painting making me feel at home…" She opened her eyes. "So, I got it. I felt safer knowing it was with me… because if something happens to it…" She broke away from Garry and turned away from him and Ib. "I know what I did to you two ten years ago. I don't think I'm the same person, but I had dreams of it every night. It was always the same. And even now, I try to hurt Roy." She clenched her fists, her body trembling in a vast mixture of emotions. All Garry and Ib knew to do was to let her vent out her frustrations. "I'm just… a figment of someone's memory. I'm not real…" She closed her eyes again, tears falling from her lashes and mixing in with the rain on her face. "Who would ever want me? Who would ever love someone such as me?"

"I'll love you."

Hearing this made Mary gasp, open her eyes, and turn around. Ib and Garry looked outward near the road to see that Roy stood in the rain, his eyes full of determination and sympathy for her. Astonished by his statement, she was unable to speak for a moment. She wondered if he knew what she meant by love.

"Wh-what?" was all she could manage.

"I said that I'll love you," Roy repeated as he took a step toward her.

Mary shook her head. "You can't mean that. After all I've done to you…"

Roy walked to her and smiled. "After all that you've done? You mean how amazing you have been to me? How you've made each day exciting and worth living?"

Mary took a step back, fear all over her face. "That's not… I've hurt you, Roy."

Roy let out a slight laugh. "Ah, I hate shaving anyway. If you want, you can do that to the rest of my face so I won't have to."

"This isn't a joke, Roy…"

"I know," Roy winked at her. He then changed his demeanor to seriousness. "Listen to me, Mary. This time I've spent with you has been wonderful. You've given me purpose when before, I was just living for me." He reached out and took her hands into his. "I don't want to see you cry anymore. Your smile brings me so much happiness and hope, and my goal is to never make you cry again."

Mary could not hide her surprise and fear. She did not want to hurt Roy anymore, but at the same time… she was euphoric to hear him speak these words to her. "What if I… Roy, I can't hurt you again… I care about you too deeply…"

Roy gave her hands a light squeeze. "We'll work on that together. I'm willing to help you through this. Just please… stay here with me. Not as a friend, but as the woman I love."

Mary closed her eyes and bowed her head. "But… I'm not real, Roy. I-"

"Don't talk like that," Roy interrupted her. "You're standing here before me, and I'm holding your hands. You have feelings just like me, and these tears you shed are not fabricated. How are you _not_ real?" With his right hand, he reached out and placed it gently on her cheek. "You're just as real as the rest of us."

Just at this moment, the rain stopped, and the sun began to poke through the clouds. Mary opened her eyes and looked up into Roy's eyes. She saw nothing but love and truth. Incapable of holding back, she started to cry, but his time from happiness. Over the time she had spent with Roy, she had found herself falling for him. Even if she was merely a painting given life, she knew that what she felt for him was true. She leaned her head into Roy's hand and let the warmth of his skin sink in.

"You'll be in danger…" she whispered.

"I don't care," Roy smiled. "We'll do this together, Mary. I promise."

He pulled her gently toward him and held her. Her tears no longer fell; instead, a smile spread across her face. Ib and Garry said nothing, but merely stood by and allowed the two to have this moment. Ib wiped away tears from her cheeks, and Garry held onto her hand.

Mary wrapped her arms around Roy. All her fears seemed to have washed away with the rain, and courage had taken place just like the sun was in the sky. No longer would she be afraid to let him know how she felt. She found her voice again, and made sure the words she spoke could be heard by Roy.

"I love you. We will… do this together."


	6. Promise

For the first time since being found by Ib, Garry, and Roy, Mary felt like she was finally at home where she belonged. Despite the knowledge that she was merely a painting come to life, she was happy, and so was Roy. They were grateful for Ib and Garry, who helped them every step of the way. The wound she had inflicted on Roy's cheek had now scarred over, and while it was a constant reminder of what she had done, Roy paid it no mind. He was always so kind to her, and when they embraced, he did so tenderly and affectionately. On the other hand, they were still shy around each other, and had not kissed; they had come close several times, but for some unknown reason, one or the other would back out at the last second.

As for Garry and Ib, their relationship was somewhat slow as well, but that was normal for them, considering it took them ten years to finally establish it. They had legitimized their relationship in the middle of summer, but now it was near Christmastime and they had not even shared their first kiss. They told each other they loved one another frequently, and there were several times Garry had wanted to kiss her, but he was not certain how she would react. He did not want her to feel as if they were moving too swiftly. On the other hand, Ib was completely amazed by Garry; he had always been astounding to her, but for some reason he seemed even more so now. Her parents were happy that the two were together, as were their friends. Whenever Ib was with Garry, she was the happiest person in the world. She found her cheeks cramping from smiling so much, as did he. To her, the times she enjoyed the most was simply lounging around his apartment in sweat pants and a t-shirt or tank-top (to Garry, that was when she was the most beautiful), and Garry the same. It was during those times they could really connect. Sometimes, she would fall asleep leaning on his chest, which was when she slept the best. When she did this, he would simply let her sleep until it was time for her to return to her parents, and even then he would carry her around so she would not wake up.

Naturally, as every couple does, they would have arguments every once in a while, but they were always about petty things. In no time at all, they were hug, make up, and go on as if they never had the argument at all. As often as they could, they would go on double-dates or have movie-night with Mary and Roy, and those times were adventurous and pleasurable as well.

Christmas Day arrived, and Ib's parents invited Garry, Mary, and Roy over for celebration. Ib's family truly enjoyed their company, which was a great thing since they all had such strong ties in friendship. Ib was happy that her parents included her friends and Garry. Garry had gotten Ib a new pair of purple sweat pants, which she was enthralled over, and a silver penguin necklace (penguins were her favorite animal). Her gift to him was a watch and a new wallet (his was nearly falling apart) that had the photo she had taken of the group before Allen and Nora moved away. On that day, they also received a phone call from Allen and Nora wishing them a merry Christmas and exchanging news. Nora's parents were on the mend, but it would still be time- perhaps not at all- before they could even consider moving back. Indeed, they were missed, but Ib, Garry, Mary, and Roy were proud of them for being such amazing people. Another great event happened on Christmas. One of the gifts from Roy to Mary was perhaps the best one of them all. Outside Ib's house, the snow falling all around them and both of their cheeks scarlet, he gently kissed her for the first time. Ib and Garry were delighted at the sight.

That night, however, their bliss came to an abrupt halt.

On his way back to his apartment from Ib's house, Garry was involved in a traffic accident. At a four-way intersection, he was t-boned by another driver, who never even stopped for a second. The driver who had t-boned him only had a sprained wrist and a busted lip; Garry's condition was grim.

Ib could not remember the ride her parents gave her to the hospital. By the time they got there, Roy, Mary, and Garry's cousin Shane were already there. All of their eyes were red and puffy, but they knew that Ib was far worse than they were. The doctors had done all they could for him; it was up to Garry. The doctors also informed them that his left leg was severely injured, and that he perhaps may never gain full movement of it. At this moment, Ib recalled the dream she had when Garry had first moved back. Now, it seemed so real; perhaps it was not occurring the same way, but the imminent threat was there. When she walked into the room to see Garry, she could not help but burst into tears. Never had she wanted or expected to see him that way, and it tore her heart into pieces.

She decided that she would be there for him through it all. The moment he was to awaken from his coma, her face was going to be the first one he saw. Every day, she would talk to him, read to him, and keep him up-to-date on current events. Shane stayed often as well to help her, but he felt as though he was in the way. Ib took such great care of Garry, and due to this, Shane had no doubts of her love for him.

Eight days later, Garry finally opened his eyes. And sure enough, Ib's face was the first one he saw. Weakly, he smiled at her and held her hand as she wept tears of happiness and relief.

As expected, healing was a long process. Garry would have several new scars on his body, the most prominent one on his face above his right eyebrow. He did not mind, however, since he was happy to just be alive. Despite the news about his leg, he kept a smile on his face and would give it his all every day, all the while Ib by his side. Roy, Mary, Shane, and Ib's parents helped out as well, and nearly every day he would get a phone call from Nora and Allen checking on his progress. While Ib and Roy were at school, Mary and Shane took care of Garry. Unable to lift Garry off the bed, Ib and Mary had Roy and Shane escort him to the bathroom. His teaching career at the high school had to be put on pause, of course; a substitute took his place, and often she would report that his students missed him dearly and asked about him every day.

Bittersweet news was given nearly three weeks later. Still at the hospital, the doctors informed him of a treatment center nearly 800 miles away that could give much better rehabilitation for his leg than what could be offered there. If he decided to go, he would leave two days later, and he would be gone until treatment was complete, which could take months.

Garry looked at Ib, his eyes full of perplexity and concern. "What should I do?"

Ib raised an eyebrow, confused by the question. "What do you mean?"

He looked away from her. "…I'll be gone for a long time, Ib."

"I know that."

"You can't come with me. You have school to worry about."

Ib looked down at her folded hands in her lap. "I know that, too…"

Garry glanced at her and noticed she was wringing her hands. He reached out and held them. "I can stay. I don't have to go." Ib gave his hand a gentle squeeze and locked her eyes onto his. All she could manage to do was shake her head, giving Garry his answer. At this, Garry turned his head and looked out the window at the sunshine. He took a deep breath, which hurt him since some of his ribs had been broken in the crash. "Would you wait for me?"

"Hmm?"

"…Would you wait for me?" he asked again, turning his head and looking into her eyes. "I don't know how often I can keep in touch, and this may put our relationship to the test. What I want to know is if you'll wait for me."

Ib blinked, still confused by the question. "I'm not sure what you're asking, Garry."

Garry made a peculiar half-smile. "I'm asking if you will still love me, Ib."

At this point, she found herself unable to answer his question. This did not clear the confusion any better than before. Why on earth was he wondering that? Why was he scared of losing her? She had stayed by his side through the entire event, despite the heartbreak and her fears of losing him. She wanted to prove her love to him, to reassure him that she was still his regardless of the circumstances and the distance. The silence that lasted after his question made Garry's heart nearly break. To hide this, he turned his head and looked out the window again. How could he ask that of her? It was incredibly insensitive of him, and he regretted asking it. Ib forced back her tears; she felt terrible, and she was not certain as to why she could not answer his question. She loved him dearly, that was the truth. They sat there in silence until it was time for Ib to go home.

Two days later, friends filled Garry's hospital room to see him off. With a faint fear in his heart, for he was going alone, Garry managed to keep a smile on his face to encourage his loved ones. That was what he had always done; no matter what he was going through, he would hide his true feelings and be there for everyone else. Roy wheeled Garry outside to the van that was to transport him, everyone else following behind. One of the doctors opened the van door, and just as Roy started to lift Garry up, Ib felt an odd feeling in her chest. She was scared. She had to tell him now, for she was certain of the answer to his question from two days before.

"Garry!" she called out. With Roy as support, they turned around, Garry looking into Ib's eyes. "I have the answer… Of course I'll wait for you," she spoke. "You promised that we would do this together, didn't we?" Garry nodded. Despite everyone's eyes being on them, Ib gathered the courage and walked in closer to him, closing the distance between them. Because he was considerably taller than she was, she had to stand up on her tiptoes. Their lips were so close together that Ib could feel Garry's body heat, but they were not connected yet. Both their hearts beat out of their chests, and it was as if Garry could scarcely breathe. "Then, let me make a promise to you. I promise that I will wait for you… that I'll be here, always."

Garry closed his eyes and bowed his head to where their foreheads were touching. A smile spread across his face, for the answer was just what he was hoping for. "…I am glad."

At this, Ib closed her eyes and pressed her lips gently against his. Garry reached up and placed a hand on her cheek, allowing the feeling of this moment and Ib's soft lips on his to sink in. After a few seconds, Ib pulled away from him then smiled, which he reciprocated with his own. Their first kiss was ever so bittersweet, but it was then that they realized how much they loved each other. Ib's mother and Mary had tears falling down their faces, for they truly felt for Ib. Ib's father gave his wife's hand a gentle squeeze as Roy helped Garry into the van. Before the door was shut, Garry smiled at them and thanked them for everything. Then, they watched them drive Garry away, and for a few moments, nothing was said. Ib stood motionless and the same spot, not uttering a sound.

"…Was this all right?" Roy asked Ib.

Ib smiled, one lone tear falling from her right eye. "You bet it was."

Roy walked up to her hand put a hand on her shoulder. "Now what?"

"We just wait," she replied. "I'll stay here and do what I can. I was thinking about picking up the guitar and learning to play it. I have to do something to make him proud of me, and just sitting around isn't going to do that."

Roy smiled as Mary walked up and wrapped her hand around Ib's.

"I see," Mary spoke. "Well, we'll have to help you along the way then… just like you helped us."

"Exactly," Roy agreed. "We're here, too, Ib."

Ib looked at them and smiled. What lie ahead was certain to not be easy, but she was prepared to endure it all for him.


	7. As One

Ib sat on her bed, guitar in her hands, staring out her open window. Her fingers were sore, and calluses had begun to form on her tips, but she was happy since she had been progressively learning. She had always been a speedy learner, but she would struggle at times when her fingers seemed to get into knots. Mary and Roy were impressed by her quick learning and the fact that she was writing a song for Garry, to whom she would sing it to once he returned. It was a very personal song to her, and she was very secretive about it, not even letting her parents, Mary, or Roy to know what it was.

As she sat on her bed, she wondered about him, and if he was doing all right and if he was healing well. A month had already passed since Garry had left to get proper treatment for his leg. Even though she was used to the long distance between the two of them, she found herself missing him even more this time than ever before. At times, she wanted to cry, but she would swallow the lump in her throat and force a smile on her face. She had gotten one phone call in the past month, and it did not last long since he was very tired, but she was ecstatic to hear from him nonetheless. Even texts from him were very rare, but he would assure her that he was just very busy and tired.

Mary and Roy were lifesavers to her, and would do their best to keep her mind off Garry as much as they could. When not involved with school or work, Roy would bring Mary over or have Ib come to their apartment. Since it was so cold, they did not go out as much; however, when it snowed, they would walk all over the city and look at the view of endless white. Her parents worried about her, but they knew she was strong and that she would use her sadness to supply her strength. They knew they could never take Garry's place, nor would they ever want to or even try. One thing they were for certain was of Ib's strength; she always kept a smile on her face and assured them she was doing well. Her grades remained high, and she studied like she always did. Allen and Nora would call and check on her, and she would ask how Nora's parents were fairing. They were nearly completely healed, but Nora and Allen still were not sure when they would be returning, or even if they would.

One night, when Mary and Roy were at Ib's, she got a phone call; immediately, a smile spread across her face, and they knew it was Garry. She put it on speaker and answered the phone, unable to hide her happiness.

"Hi!" she beamed.

"_It's great to hear your voice, Ib."_ He sounded so tired, but they were nonetheless elated.

"Mary and Roy are here with me, so I put you on speaker."

Roy scooted closer to the phone. "Hey, bud."

Mary giggled. "Howdy, Garry!"

Garry made a slight chuckle. _"Hey, guys. So, how is everything?"_

They talked about school, work, and hearing from Allen and Nora, along with many other things. For quite some time, Garry simply listened, laughing or making small comments here and there. Ib did not mention the guitar or her song she was composing, for she wanted to surprise him with it upon his return. Then, it was Garry's turn to talk. He told them about the therapy and how he had made a couple of friends while he was there. What he said next was something they were not prepared for.

"_Doctors said I'm coming along fine,"_ he began. _"They're tough, I'll give them that. But…"_

He did not finish. Ib raised an eyebrow. "But what?"

"…_They said my leg would never fully recover_," he answered. _"I'll always be in pain and have a limp. They apologize a lot for it, but it's not their fault. They're doing everything they can."_

Ib, Roy, and Mary had no retort at first. They sat there in silence; Garry's silence also told them that he did not know what to say, either. Finally, Roy decided to speak up; he was a little upset, and he was not going to hide it.

"What did they send you so far away for if it wasn't going to work?" he asked. "You've been gone for over two months, and have nothing to show for it."

"_That's not true, Roy,"_ Garry disagreed. _"If I had stayed, it would have been worse. Plus, I'm alive. That counts as something, right? Look, I'm not disappointed or anything. I knew that this was a possibility."_

The rest of the conversation was short, for they could tell that he was fighting sleep. Before they hung up, Garry told Ib he loved her, to which she reciprocated. She smiled, grateful to have gotten to finally hear from him after so long. Mary and Roy missed Garry very much, so hearing from him lifted their spirits as well. Roy and Garry had become best friends quickly, and since they lived so close to each other, it was even more saddening. Mary would cry sometimes, her heart torn; Roy would try his best to make her smile again, and often it would work. Mary loved Roy dearly. It astounded her to know that she could love someone so much. No longer did it matter to her anymore that she was a painting, for everything she felt was real.

At their apartment, Roy still slept on the air mattress while Mary slept in his bed. He never complained about this arrangement. Mary did not tell him that she had started having nightmares nearly every night, all of the same thing- the same dream Ib had, of Mary taking Garry's rose away and pulling off the petals, tearing out his life piece by piece. At each dream, she would always pull one petal extra than the night before. She would wake up in tears, but she would never go to Roy.

After work one night, Roy decided to take Mary to the lake; he knew something was wrong, and he wanted to try to get her to tell him about it. At the lake, she did not bring it up, and when he asked she denied it, so he made it his task to give her a happy night together. The sun was setting, which gave the sky a surreal pink glow. Roy started a campfire and had Mary go to the car and get items to make s'mores. By the time she came back, the campfire was roaring, and Roy sharpened two sticks to put the marshmallows on, which they did and held them over the fire. When they were roasted, Roy showed Mary how to make s'mores.

"I don't think I've ever had s'mores," Mary spoke as she looked at it. "It's a little messy…"

"Never? Well, then, get ready for awesomeness in your mouth," Roy grinned. "And the messiness is what makes them fun."

Mary giggled and took a bite. She chewed for a moment then smiled. "These are great! What did you call them again? Schmoes?"

Roy laughed. "Close enough."

Mary smiled. "Well, schmoes are really good! I really like them! Think Ib would like some schmoes?" She took another bite, chewed, and swallowed. Each time Mary called them schmoes, Roy would burst out laughing, which made her feel awkward. "What? Why are you laughing?"

Roy tried to stop but snorted. "No reason."

Mary sat up on her knees and looked into Roy's eyes. "You're making fun of me for something, but I don't know what."

"I'm not making fun of you," Roy laughed. "I'm just happy you really like schmoes."

Mary smiled again. "Thanks for letting me try schmoes!"

Roy lost it again, making Mary feel embarrassed. She played with a lock of hair and looked at the fire. "You are too making fun of me!"

He shook his head, leaned over, and hugged her. "Nah, you just cheered me up. Thanks, Mary."

Mary felt her cheeks burn; even after all this time, he still got to her and could make her blush. In his arms, she felt all her worries disappear. They ate their s'mores and talked the evening away until it was time to go back. When they returned to the apartment complex, they took their showers and prepared for bed. They told each other good night and went to their separate beds. Sleep soon fell upon Mary, and her nightmares began…

_Mary and Roy stood side by side in Guertena's painting; Ib and Roy were nowhere to be seen. Mary looked down to see a yellow rose in her hand. Roy held a white rose in his hand. In front of them was Guertena's painting, leading to the real world. There was no sound, no color other than for the roses and Roy's eyes. Confused by what was occurring, she looked at him to see a smile on his face. Even in her dreams, he kept a smile on his face._

"_I know your rose isn't real, Mary," he spoke. "I wanted to bring one of your real yellow roses with you in here. I thought maybe if I did, you'd become the 'real' person you want to be." She felt herself shake her head. Roy maintained his smile, reached out, and gently touched her rose. "I understand you think that you're not real enough for me, but you are. Remember what I told you? You're just as real as the rest of us." She backed away from him and pointed at his rose. He became visibly perplexed and looked down at his white rose. "My rose? What about it?" _

_She reached out and touched his rose. All at once, every white, pure petal fell off the rose and onto the floor at their feet. Roy gasped and jerked, the pain so immense that he staggered. He looked down at the petals which were now gray like the rest of their surroundings. When he looked back up, his brown eyes were colorless as well. Not a second later, he collapsed to his knees, his breath heavy. He looked up at her and smiled weakly._

"_This… is not your fault…" he quietly spoke. "…You just want to live…" He held up the stem of the rose to her, his smile becoming weaker. "Please… take it." _

_She reached out and took a hold of the rose stem. Just as she took it from his hand, he fell over and was gone, a smile still on his face. Mary looked at his body then to the rose stem, amazed to see a real, yellow rose now in her hands. She took a glance at Roy's lifeless body before exiting the painting into the real world. _

"ROY!" she screamed as she opened her eyes. "NO! ROY, I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! OH, GOD!"

In merely a second, Roy ran into the room and sat down on the bed beside her. His eyes were full of concern as she clung onto him, her body shaking in fear. "Mary, it's okay! I'm here!"

"I'm sorry!" she sobbed. "I'm sorry! Roy, I'm so sorry!"

Roy softly brushed his fingers through her long, blonde hair in effort to comfort her. "It was just a bad dream. I'm here. Shh… it's okay. I promise, I'm not going anywhere."

Five minutes passed by before Roy could get her to stop crying and apologizing. He got her to tell him about her nightmare, and he reassured her that everything was all right. In order to take her mind off things, he changed the subject and started conversation on random, happy things. Before long, they were both laughing and joking, and Roy was delighted to see a smile back on Mary's face. About an hour passed by, and he decided it would be best if he left so she could get some sleep. He got up and started toward the door-

"Roy, wait." He stopped and looked back at her. She played with a lock of her blonde hair and seemed nervous; her cheeks had a red tint to them, as if she were embarrassed about something. "…I want you to stay."

Roy leaned his head to the side, not sure what she was asking. "I'm not going anywhere."

Mary shook her head. "No, I mean… stay in here." Roy raised an eyebrow, still confused, which caused some frustration to her. She put her hands on her hips. "Roy, you big dork! I want you to sleep in the bed with me!" Roy's eyes widened in surprise from Mary's words, but after a moment, he started to laugh, which discomfited Mary, who began to fidget. "Wh-why are you laughing?"

"Is that the best you can come up with to insult me?"

Mary's cheeks burned. "I didn't want to insult you. I just wanted to make you feel dumb."

He laughed again due to how embarrassed she was, walked up to her, and hugged her. "No need to be embarrassed. It made me laugh. Okay, I'll stay." Mary smiled and looked away, her cheeks red again. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," she replied, still not looking at him. At this, Roy gently placed his hand on her face, turned her head toward him, and kissed her. She felt the breath from her lungs dissipate, for this kiss held something more to it, and when Roy started to pull away, she did not allow him. He slipped his hands down to her waist and pulled her closer to him, both of their hearts racing but not from fear. He felt her hands slip up under his shirt and on his stomach, and before he knew it his shirt was lying on the floor. His lips trailed away from hers and skimmed along the outline of her jaw and down to her neck. Hands locked, they inched toward the bed, articles of clothing being removed gently at each step. When they finally were on the bed, they looked upon each other and took the sight of each other's bodies in. Each movement, each sigh and moan, each "I love you" that was exchanged meant so much during this moment. The tender embrace that no one other than them knew, the sweat and smiles given was unlike anything either of them had ever felt before. Hearing her whisper, moan, and cry out his name was almost more than he could handle. Together, they did everything in sync, as one, as whole.

Roy opened his eyes the next morning to see the sun's rays illuminating the room. Mary's arms that were once wrapped firmly around him from undeniable, animalistic fervor were now limp on his waist. He glided his fingers up and down her bare back. He did not move; he did not want to wake her up. He laid there beside her and watched her sleep. It hit him then just how beautiful she really was. Everything about her made him love her more and more with each passing day.

She was his, and he was hers, and nothing would take the moment away from them of when made love for the first time.


	8. If Only You'll Say Yes to Me

Three months had passed since Garry had left. It had not been easy, but somehow Ib found her strength renewed with each rising sun. She had learned to play her guitar rather well, but would make mistakes from time to time. Happy that Roy and Mary seemed to be closer than ever, it made her think about how she had wronged Garry. Many times, she would hold back and close herself from him; that was how she had always been. As always, Garry was patient with her. It pained her that their first kiss was also a kiss of departure, but she held onto it to keep her strength up. Only a couple times had she and Garry talked on the phone, and she wished they could talk more.

Another thing had happened as well. She had made a new friend one day while practicing her guitar at her college. She had been beside the fountain when he approached her, gave her a few pointers, and introduced himself as Mason Howards. They became friends rather easily, and he seemed to be a rather nice young man. Usually, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he would meet Ib at the fountain, where they would talk and practice playing guitar together. He was easy to talk to, that was for sure, and he was certainly nice to Ib. Roy did not like him, and Ib was not sure why. Mary gave the impression that she did not like him too well either, but she was nicer to him than Roy. Ib had told Mason about Garry, to which Mason simply smiled, but nothing more.

One afternoon, while practicing at the fountain, Mason found her and silently watched her, unbeknownst to her. After some time, he walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, which scared her and made her squeak from fright. They laughed at this for a moment.

"You're getting so much better," he smiled at her, "but there are still some things you're messing up on. Here, let me show you."

He then took Ib's hands into his and began to show her some new concepts. Ib thought it nice of him to do so, but also that the way he was tenderly holding her hands was odd. Mason was nice, and she was glad for their friendship. Indeed, she was very lonely, but she never gave him a second glance. Handsome with dark blue eyes and jet black hair, Ib wondered why he was single.

All at once, her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Roy call her name. She looked out to see him with a smile on his face. Immediately, Mason let go of her.

"It's time for class. You ready?" Roy asked.

"Yup!" Ib nodded. She turned and put her guitar back in its case, stood up, and said bye to Mason. She then ran to Roy and on past him a bit- when Roy made sure that he was out of Ib's line of vision, he shot Mason a stern look before following Ib.

That night, after they both got home from work, Roy decided to sit Mary down and talk about Mason and Ib.

"I don't trust him, Mary," Roy spoke. "How he's acting around her… and he knows she's in a relationship with Garry."

"…I hate to say it, but I don't trust him, either," Mary agreed. "He's sneaky, Roy… Garry's not here to do anything, and Ib doesn't know that he's trying to slip in and create a wedge while Garry is absent."

Roy bit his lip, both angered and worried. "We can't leave her alone with him. What if he tries something? Ib's too nice to-"

"Don't underestimate Ib," Mary smirked. "She can hold her own."

Roy shook his head. "No. I don't fully know what Mason is capable of. They've been friends going on two months now. With Garry not here, it's up to us. I promised him I would take care of her."

Mary knew Roy was right. They decided that they would try to always be around whenever Mason and Ib were together. If they couldn't, they hoped that Ib would be able to withstand the temptations and recognize what he was doing. A week passed by, and certainly, there were times they could not be there around Ib and Mason all the time. Ib was consistently improving with the guitar, much to her happiness. Mason would wait on her every Tuesday and Thursday as usual, and would often appear sad to see her leave for the next class.

While spending time with Mason, Ib found out much about him. He came from a large family; he had four brothers and two sisters, and he was in the middle. Very much a family man, he missed his family while he was away at college. Responsible and dependable, he would look after even his older siblings while growing up. He was twenty-one, and in school to become an engineer. His oldest brother taught him to play the guitar, a feat he was especially proud of. Ib was grateful for their friendship, but her parents, Roy, and Mary knew that Mason perhaps wanted more. Oblivious, Ib continued to spend more time with Mason. Mary and Roy tried to make sure that Mason was good to her, but they were often busy at times, which made it difficult.

One day, Mason was running late to meet Ib at the fountain. He came up from behind to hear her playing an unfamiliar song. It sounded beautiful, and he could hear her humming to it. For a moment or two, he just stood there and listened. Finally, he made his presence known as he walked up and sat down beside her.

"That sounded lovely," he spoke, startling her.

"Wh-what? How long-"

"Long enough," he smiled. "What song is that? I've never heard it."

Ib's cheeks turned scarlet. "Well… that's because it's something I'm working on."

"Oh? Oh! That's amazing, Ib! What's it for? Class?"

Ib looked at her guitar with such adoration in her eyes. Even before she answered, Mason had a feeling who she was going to say. "It's for Garry."

"For when he comes back?"

She nodded. "Yes. I want to impress him. To show him that all this time, he's been on my mind and that I've missed him so much."

Mason felt as though he had been punched. "After all this time, and you still love him just as deeply…"

"Of course I do," she agreed, not knowing of Mason's strife. At this, Mason reached out and cupped Ib's face in his hand. This caused a small amount of shock to her, and her eyes widened. When she looked into his eyes, she was confused to see sadness, but also happiness and adulation.

"Garry is lucky, Ib…" he spoke quietly, "…to have someone like you to love him."

He then stood up and started to walk away. It hit Ib then; she understood what Mason had meant. She stood up, a horrible feeling in her chest.

"Mason!" she cried out. Mason stopped and turned slightly. "Let's… let's still be friends, okay?"

Mason stood still for a moment. A faint smile spread across his face. "Time… give me time." He then walked away, leaving Ib alone at the fountain. She stared after him for quite some time, a cheerless feeling in her chest. Never did she want to hurt anyone, and Mason was her friend. She looked up at the cloudy sky; it had previously been raining, and the clouds were just starting to break, the sun giving them a silver lining. Her heart ached, for she missed Garry so much. She had remained so strong for so long, never releasing a tear, but as of right now, she was so close to breaking. Not knowing what else to do, she sat down on the side of the fountain and began to play her song. Unable to refrain any longer, tears began to slide down her cheeks. She closed her eyes, her fingers picking the notes to the guitar, and imagined Garry's smiling face. She promised that when he returned, she would let him know how much he meant to her.

All at once, she felt a hand clasp one of her own. Startled, she opened her eyes and looked to her left- her heart stopped. The breath steeled in her lungs, and her body seemed as if it was unable to move. Sound was incapable of escaping her lips.

He smiled at her warmly, the love in his eyes nearly too much to bear.

"Dry those tears, love. I'm here to stay now."

Despite the many students crossing the courtyard, Ib could not refrain from jumping up and latching her arms around his neck. His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to his body. Ib looked to see Roy and Mary standing a distance away, smiles on their faces (and tears on Mary's cheeks). It was as if they were the only ones in the world right now; the other students did not exist, but merely became colors in the background. The only thing she could hear was the beating of his heart. Finally, she found her voice.

"…This is real," she whispered.

Garry smiled and held her tighter. "I've missed you, Ib."

Ib pulled away from him just enough to where she could stand on her tiptoes and kiss him. She had wanted to taste and feel those lips on her own for far too long, and it embarrassed her that she felt herself blush. When they pulled away, Roy and Mary made their way up to them, Mary wiping the tears away from her eyes. Roy informed Garry that Ib had been working on a secret song, to which Garry smiled and looked at Ib.

"Well, now, that's a surprise. Will you play it for me?"

Ib laughed. "Since it's for you, I suppose it would only be right."

She sat down and picked up her guitar. She strummed a couple of times, then began to pick, the sound of the song lovely. Soon, she let the words to the song flow from her lips.

"_As the rain fell on the earth and dampened my shoes  
I stood alone with my umbrella closed and held to my side  
Water feels liberating sometimes, wouldn't you agree?  
Invisible sins being washed away with the falling redemption  
The only things that won't be washed away are the bonds we share_

"*If going alone is what brings us back together, I'll walk away without a sound  
Eyes set on the ever-winding path which no one has trod  
My legs quake, for the distance is surely to be long  
If all of those I love are at the end of this road, I'll readily make the strides  
Their smiles and mirth help me to believe in someone such as myself*

"The pitter-patter of the rain came to a stop, and a silver-lining could be seen  
Accustomed to the dimness, my eyes had to adjust to this new light  
In it, I could have sworn to have seen the hope I had been searching for  
Hearts connected in this one sky, I took the first step on the empty road

"*If going alone is what brings us back together, I'll walk away without a sound  
Eyes set on the ever-winding path which no one has trod  
My legs quake, for the distance is surely to be long  
If all those I love are at the end of this road, I'll readily make the strides  
Their smiles and mirth help me to believe in someone such as myself*

"**As the sun breaks through the clouds, I'll continue to go alone  
Afraid to just allow the memories of us to disappear, I'll continue to believe in myself  
If all those I love are at the end of this road, I'll readily make the strides  
Their smiles and mirth help me to believe…**

"***If all those I love are at the end of this road…  
Their smiles and mirth help me to believe…***"

When she finished the song, people had gathered around to listen, amazed at her talent and the beauty in the song's words. Garry sat beside her, his hand on her leg, a smile on his face. She had done so wonderfully, and he could not have been more proud of her. All he could do was commend her performance and thank her over and over for still loving him and for developing the song. She had been so patient, so true, and he knew that he could not be without her.

The next two weeks were spent together. Mary and Roy would accompany them some, but only when they were invited, and even then they would back out so that the two could catch up. Garry walked with a limp, but no one paid it any mind. The new scars did not matter either, and the only one that could be vividly seen- above his right eyebrow- was not an issue either. Sometimes, he would get frustrated at how slow his pace was, and that they would have to slow down so he could keep up with them, but they all assured him they did not mind at all. Ib let him know every day how much she loved him, and she would kiss him without hesitation.

One evening, while over at Garry's, they were stuck inside due to the rain. Garry had excused himself to the bathroom, but merely seconds later, he returned with a cupcake in his hands. The cupcake had a lit candle on it, and his face was beaming with joy.

"Happy birthday, Ib!"

Ib jerked. "Oh my gosh. I had completely forgotten!"

Garry laughed. "How can you forget your own special day? I know it's tomorrow, but I wanted to celebrate it today, just the two of us. Is that okay?"

Ib giggled as he handed her the cupcake. "Of course, it's okay! I'll make a wish!" She then blew out her candle, then went to the kitchen, got a knife, and cut the cupcake in half. When she handed half of it to Garry, he declined. "Dork, don't you know that if you don't eat some of it, the wish won't come true?"

Garry laughed once more. "Well, in that case, allow me."

They ate their halves on the cupcake and spent more time enjoying each other's company. They watched old movies, such as Twelve Angry Men (one of Garry's favorites), Casablanca, and The Wizard of Oz. The rain continued to pour heavily outside, and since Garry had picked Ib up, Ib's parents were still concerned since the accident. They permitted that Ib could stay the night, since the morning would be beautiful and clear. Luckily, Garry had an extra toothbrush for Ib to use that night and the next morning. After dinner, they started to watch the second part of The Godfather, but before long, they found that their attentions were not on the movie, but on each other.

Their kisses intensified with each passing moment. Ib felt Garry's lip trail down to the nape of her neck, and she could not help but make a small moan. She had wanted him for a long time, and not that it was happening, it seemed so surreal. She took off her shirt and started to kiss Garry, but he stopped her, which confused her.

"Ib," he whispered, his eyes locked onto hers, "there's only so much I can take. Tell me now before I can't control myself anymore. Are you sure this is what you want?"

Ib smiled at Garry and kissed him. "I am positive."

They resumed kissing, and before long, neither of them had any clothing on, and Garry was carrying Ib to his bedroom. Once there, nothing was held back. They had held back for far too long, and tonight belonged to them. The passion they exchanged, the words whispered and the moans and sighs unconstrained was like a soul release. Their bodies as one, they shared a connection that expressed so much love and zeal that was nearly too much to bear for the both of them. Emotion, sweat, and love merged into one, and it was all too right and too real. At first, Ib was afraid that she may accidentally hurt Garry, but he assured her not to worry about him. At the end, spent, they fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning, Ib awoke to see Garry still asleep beside her, his back turned toward her. Her cheeks burned from mortification; she had really done a number on his back with her nails. She leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss on the scar above his eye, then got up and prepared for the day. When Garry woke, he did the same, and took Ib to her house, where her family, Mary, Roy, and Shane were waiting to celebrate Ib's birthday with her. As the day progressed, they had so much fun, and there was so much laughter. During sunset, though, things became serious. Garry took Ib by the hand, and when he did this, everyone got quiet, which confused Ib.

"So, Ib, it's your birthday today, and I bet you're wondering why you haven't gotten a gift from me yet," he began.

"What? No," Ib nervously laughed. "I told you, no one had to get me anything."

"I know what you told me," Garry smiled, "but I got you something, anyway. Just… listen to what I have to say first." Ib nodded, unsure where Garry was going with all this. He nodded back and kept his eyes on her. "We've been through a lot together, you and I. When I was away, I thought about you all the time… about how I wanted nothing more than to have you there beside me, just like you always have been. When I came back, I was so scared that you wouldn't love me anymore… but my fears were for nothing. It was then that I realized that I didn't want to live without you."

Ib's mouth slowly fell open. "You mean…"

Garry reached in his pocket and pulled out a silver ring that had two diamonds on the sides and a ruby in the middle. He knelt down on one knee, although rather slowly due to his leg. "I love you, Ib. I'll be yours forever… if only you'll say yes to me."

Ib could not stop from smiling. Her heart seemed to beat out of her chest, and the oxygen from her lungs had dissipated. Yet, she could still speak. "Yes, Garry, yes! A thousand times, yes!"

Garry laughed, stood up, and slipped the ring on Ib's finger. He then leaned his forehead against hers. "You are my support and my most precious treasure. We'll face whatever is to come together… hand in hand."


	9. Goodbye

The wedding was simple, for both Ib and Garry had never been complicated people. For Ib, Mary was her maid of honor while Nora (who luckily was able to attend) was a bridesmaid. Roy was Garry's best man, and Allen was a groomsman. Much to Ib's happiness, Mason had remained her friend and had shown up. Garry had known about what had occurred, but he decided to let bygones be bygones and welcomed Mason warmly. The honeymoon was both fun and extraordinary, but alas, life beckoned them to return. They decided to live in Garry's apartment; they could move in the future if the need arose.

It was strange, being married. Both had quirks that irritated the other, such as Garry leaving dirty socks lying on the floor in the bedroom and Ib's forgetfulness to place the cap back on the toothpaste. However, they enjoyed each other's company immensely, and to Ib, the greatest thing in the world was falling asleep and waking up beside the man she loved so much. Intimacy was another event in which both enjoyed. Previously, it had only occurred once before their marriage, but now…

Garry amazed her. Every day. His smile and laugh could chase away any thoughts of sadness or unhappiness. He helped Ib with school as well as being a phenomenal teacher. As always, he was ever-ready to offer a helping hand to anyone who needed it. Ib would offer him aid as well; his leg would often cause him pain, and his limp would slow him down at times, but she was patient and supportive. Ib's parents would come over and visit often, as well as Roy and Mary, and they would go over to their places as well. Holidays were often spent at Ib's parents' house, with everyone there to celebrate.

Life was blissful. A year passed.

Naturally, there were changes made, such as Allen and Nora's marriage; on the other hand, everyone stayed the same. Mary still decided to not attend college so she could help out more around the apartment and have the ability to work more. Roy had talked to Garry about the possibility of asking Mary to marry him, but that he needed more time and money for the ring. Still the same, helpful person, Garry offered some financial support, to which Roy politely declined.

Thing was, it was more than just money issues that he was concerned about. Mary had started acting out again, and this time, it occurred more frequently. Roy would sometimes come home to see the place ransacked, and just when he would get it back in order, she would demolish it again. Each time, she would sob bitter tears and apologize; Roy knew it was not her, and he could not be angry with her for something that was beyond her control. He wanted to keep it a secret from Garry and Ib so as not to worry them, but it was starting to get out of hand. Once, she nearly broke a window, and Roy thought for certain that Garry and Ib would discover it. Despite everything that was happening, he still loved Mary deeply, and his love would intensify for her with each day. She loved him just as much, and there were still amazing times that were shared.

One evening, the following day of one of Mary's episodes, Roy came home to see her staring at the painting. Her eyes were full of determination and anxiety, and when he approached her, she changed her demeanor immediately.

"What's on your mind, Mary?" he asked.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just thinking, is all."

"Yeah? What about?"

She shifted her weight from foot to foot. "…Nothing, Roy."

Roy could tell she was hiding something from him… something that troubled her. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. There was so much emotion in her eyes, and it amazed him that one person could have so many feelings coursing throughout their minds. "Mary… please."

Mary tried to look away, but she could not. She exhaled a sigh of defeat and looked at the painting. "…You know… I have dreams- no, nightmares- every night of the things the other Mary did within the painting. I'm part of her. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if I was her." She looked into Roy's eyes and smiled sadly. "…If it gets worse… if it becomes too much... I have to put a stop to it."

Roy shook his head. "No. No, Mary. I won't hear of that. You mean too much."

"But, there's the real Mary. She's not like me."

"You don't know that."

Mary shook her head this time. "…I have dreams about her, too. In them, she seems so nice and loving."

Roy felt his heart break little by little. Every word that came out of Mary's mouth caused him more grief. He loved her. He could not and would not let her do this. "Mary… you can't. I love you. No matter how bad it gets, I can handle it. Okay?"

Mary's eyes still held sorrow in them. She waited a moment then smiled at Roy. "…Okay."

After that night, things steadily began to worsen. Roy could tell that Mary fought it with every fiber of her being. She would barely sleep and eat, which caused him to do the same from worry. Soon, they could not keep it from Ib and Garry, who decided to help as much as they could. Time went on, and it worsened to the point in which Mary could not work anymore. Someone had to always be with her to prevent her from hurting herself, but in turn, they would get harmed. Roy, Ib, and Garry all had injuries from their endeavors with Mary. It was as if the Mary they knew was only around for a small time before the Mary from Guertena's painting would emerge and cause chaos. Neighbors would complain about the commotion, and Roy would apologize constantly for it. Three months of this went on.

One evening, while Roy was away at work, Garry and Ib went over to watch Mary. When they opened the door, Mary greeted them with an exhausted smile. In her arms was the plain blue painting. Confused, they questioned her as to what she was doing.

"…I've made up my mind," she spoke. "I've harmed you all too much. I have to end this."

Garry and Ib jerked, stunned. "No!" they both cried out.

"Mary, stop considering this. We promised you that we would take care of you," Garry said.

"And for how much longer? Hmm?" she questioned. "Look at the three of you. I can't keep doing this to you. Also, what if I hurt someone else?"

"We said-"

Mary shook her head, a sad smile on her face. "I'm… in pain, Ib. I am constantly torn from this world and the other. The thought of what I do when I am in that world terrifies me. I have no control…" She hugged the painting closer to her chest. "I love you all so much. I just can't do this anymore…"

Ib felt tears sting her eyes. "Mary, please, stop this."

"I can't," Mary stated. "It's already set in motion, Ib. I want this to end."

"What about Roy?!" Garry yelled, unable to contain his frustration. "Don't you know that he'll miss you the most?!"

Mary closed her eyes. "…I know. But… this is what needs to be done. I've made up my mind." She walked past them and out the door. They followed her to see her throw the picture in an empty trash can and bring out a lighter. Before they could stop her, she lit the picture on fire. Oddly, it was an instantaneous ignition, and the flame turned blue. Mary made a sharp cry from pain, but afterwards was silent. Words failed Garry and Ib, who just stood there, stunned. They wanted to stop it, to take it all back, but it was too late. They were supposed to take care of her, to keep her safe… Instead, she was going to disappear.

Mary stared at the burning picture, her eyes void of any emotion. "I already feel… as though I did the right thing," she softly spoke. "I know you don't understand… but… I couldn't keep hurting others. I couldn't even discern what was real and what was not anymore." She started to shake. "…This is too cruel… Guertena is so cruel… All I wanted was to be happy…"

"So did I."

Mary gasped and turned around to see Roy standing there, his eyes full of sadness.

"Roy," Garry sighed, utterly distraught. He had promised Roy that he would help take care of Mary, and now this. He felt as though he had failed him.

"I only wanted you to be happy with me, Mary. That's all," Roy said as he walked closer to her.

"I couldn't keep doing this… I-"

"Shh…" Roy said as he held up his index finger to his lips, a heartbreaking smile on his face. "I knew that you were going to do this. I knew your soul was in anguish and torment. It was only a matter of time."

Mary's eyes filled with tears. "I never meant to hurt you…"

Roy shook his head. "I know you didn't."

"I loved you."

"I love you," Roy said, still keeping the present tense of the verb 'love'.

"You made me so happy the short time I was here," Mary smiled, the tears nearly spilling over her lashes. "Every day was a new journey worth taking. I wanted to spend it forever with you…" Roy gasped as he realized that she was starting to fade away. He had to retain his composure though; if he lost it, she would too. "Roy, you have to promise me something."

"What's that?"

"…Look for the real Mary. Become friends with her… give her a chance."

Roy jerked back, visibly taken aback by her request. "You can't ask me that, Mary. That's too much!"

"Oh, Roy… please," Mary pled, nearly sobbing. "She's a wonderful person… the real person."

"She's not you," Roy argued.

"I've seen her in my dreams. She truly is wonderful," Mary said. "Please, you have to find her… you have to."

Roy bit his lip. He had to agree, or Mary would regret everything. "…I promise."

Mary smiled. "Good. I have another request."

"Anything."

Mary looked down at the ground. "Don't forget me."

Roy smiled at her, his eyes full of sorrow and love. "You can count on me."

Mary smiled as well and closed her eyes, tears finally escaping her lashes. "Thank you…"

With this, she disappeared, leaving Roy, Garry, and Ib behind. The wind gently blew as the setting sun gave the sky a mixture of vivid red, orange, yellow, purple, and pink hues. Ib cried silently as Garry held her hand; Roy stood still, staring at the place Mary had been, as the wind rustled their clothes and hair. The picture had completely burnt, and even the smoke had stopped rising. While they stood there, Roy recalled their moments together, from when they first met and all the times they spent together. She had been what kept him going day to day, what he strove for. Her smile would greet him every morning and would be the last thing he saw at night. If he had any regrets, it would have been that he could not protect her. Silence was the only thing that could be heard, and it was some time before anyone could find their voices to speak.

"Was this all right?" Garry asked.

Swallowing his overwhelming urge to release his tears, he hid his grief with a smile. "…It sure was."

"So… what are you going to do now?"Garry questioned.

"I made a promise to find the 'real' Mary, didn't I?" Roy answered. "So, I'll be leaving soon. I can't just sit by and do nothing. I have a promise to keep."

"…I see," Garry smiled sadly as Ib cried harder.

They wanted to take it all back… to return to the way it was…

But those days were now merely ashes that scattered in the breeze.


	10. Let Me In

Ib walked outside to see Garry standing in the place which they had said their good-byes to Mary. Several days had passed, and while Ib had cried herself out, Garry remained stoic and firm for her sake. The setting sun made the area around them golden, and for an unknown reason made Garry's sadness all the more vivid to Ib. She wanted to go up to him and ask him if he was all right, but she knew the moment she did, he would smile in his usual manner and tell her that he was. Regardless, she walked to him, but stopped part ways. The heartache that was in his eyes was almost too much for her to bear.

"_Was this all right?" Garry asked._

_Swallowing his overwhelming urge to release his tears, he hid his grief with a smile. "…It sure was." _

"_So… what are you going to do now?"Garry questioned. _

"_I made a promise to find the 'real' Mary, didn't I?" Roy answered. "So, I'll be leaving soon. I can't just sit by and do nothing. I have a promise to keep." _

"…_I see," Garry smiled sadly. _

Ib reached out to hold Garry's hand, but froze. Instead, she leaned her head on his back and closed her eyes. Garry continued to stare at the same place, his eyes void of any happiness. She knew that he was mentally and physically spent from withholding any expression of sorrow or pain just to ensure her wellbeing. Many times, he held her in his arms as she cried for the loss of her dear friend. All they had wanted was for Mary to be happy, but that had been taken away from her. Unable to bring herself to ask of her husband's comfort, she walked away and entered their apartment, where she leaned back on the door and wept bitter tears. So many memories were held in this place, and their presence was a constant reminder of what had been and what was lost.

Days went by, and the distance Ib put between her and Garry was starting to get noticed. Shane grew concerned for his cousin; Garry would always be there for Ib, but the distance she showed to him was alarming. It was not unknown that she was not particularly an emotional woman, but still… Shane decided to step in and offer some aid in the form not of a family member, but as a friend. One rainy day, Shane entered his old apartment (he still had his key, which he had forgotten to turn in when he moved out) and waited for Garry to return home. When he went inside, he was astonished to see blankets and a pillow on the couch, and not a doubt arose in his mind that Garry was the one who slept there. Ib was in the bedroom sorting through clothes, and Shane decided not to disturb her. Once Garry returned home, Shane met him outside and offered him a cigarette. Unbeknownst to him, Shane had left the door cracked.

"No, thanks," Garry smiled. "I haven't smoked in years."

"Right. Forgot about that," Shane smirked.

"So, what's up?" Garry asked. "It's unusual for you to be around here."

Shane drew his cigarette then exhaled a puff of smoke. "I'm not going to beat around the bush here, Garry. I'm worried about you and Ib."

Garry looked out at the puddles of water that were around the parking lot. "That obvious, huh?"

Shane nodded. "You bet. What's going on with you two? I know losing Mary is difficult, and Roy leaving wasn't easy either."

Garry looked down at his hands which gripped the banister.

_Roy stood in front of Garry, luggage in a taxi that was waiting for him to depart. Ib hid behind Garry, her eyes filled with tears. The rising sun was just starting to peak over the mountains, and it colored the land golden and orange. With Mary's "passing", Roy had understandably become despondent and quiet. His apartment was now empty, but it had felt void of anything since she faded away. _

_Garry exhaled sadly and smiled for Roy, who was so broken. "Well, this is it, huh?" _

_Roy nodded. "Looks like it." He looked back at the taxi then at Garry. "It's been a blast, man. I'm really glad to have met you and Ib. I hope you know that." _

_Garry nodded as well. "We never doubted it." _

_Roy smiled and diverted his eyes to the rising sun. "You know, it's a funny thing."_

"_What is?"_

"_How this all started. We were all just total strangers merely passing along. I never had a purpose in life, and when I met you all, I found it. I was never meant to do anything special, but I think that through it all, I was a part of something that was so special… that despite all the pain and heartache, I would not take it back for the world." Roy closed his eyes, a smile still on his face. "It may sound silly… childish, even… but, that's what I truly believe." _

_Garry shook his head. "Not at all. I understand exactly what you mean." At this, Roy opened his eyes and looked at Garry. "Even though I was so young, I found my purpose so many years ago inside that painting. It is indeed a funny thing how events get set into motion." _

_Roy laughed, but his sadness still could not be hidden. "Listen to us, sounding all prophetic." He then placed his hand on Garry's shoulder. "…Thanks a lot, Garry. I couldn't have done any of this without your help." _

_Humbled, Garry simply nodded then hugged his best friend. "No thanks is needed. Just be careful out there." _

_They released each other, and Roy took a step back. He swallowed hard, but put on an audacious smile for his friends. He started to walk to the taxi-_

"_Roy," Garry called, prompting him to stop. Roy looked back at Garry. "Good luck finding her." _

_Roy nodded. "I know that… it won't be her… but I promised. And with all the crummy luck I've had lately, I think some good karma is in store for me." He smiled again for them. "Well! This is really it! I'm outta here!" _

_Garry laughed. "Get outta here, you big oaf." _

_With a laugh and a final wave good-bye, Roy got in the taxi, which proceeded to drive off. Garry and Ib watched it until it disappeared beyond the valleys. Unable to speak due to her tears, Ib simply left Garry and went inside. Alone, Garry stood rooted to that spot while the sun continued to rise. Even though it was the start to a new day, they all felt as if they wanted time to revert to the days of the past that were once full of happiness and laughter. But, with the rising sun, those days were gone, only to have new ones continue to come._

Garry sighed. "No, it certainly wasn't." He smelled Shane's cigarette smoke, and even though he immensely wanted a cigarette, he withstood the urge. Despite all that he had went through, he refused to start smoking again. "…Ib's growing ever more distant, and I'm not sure why. I've done my best to be there for her and to support her… I know this has hurt her so much."

Shane took one last draw from his cigarette, exhaled the puff of smoke, and threw it at his feet to the ground. He stepped on it and shifted his foot over it in order to put it out. "I don't think this is about her anymore, Garry. I honestly think it's about you."

This statement took Garry by surprise. He jerked, but kept his eyes locked onto the puddles. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that you've hid everything for so long that she probably thinks you don't care."

Garry whirled around, his eyes full of anger. "Wha- Shane! How could you say that?! How could she think that?! Of course I care! I just can't- no!- I won't show her what I'm truly feeling because she needs me to be strong for her!"

Used to Garry's fury, Shane did not sugar coat anything. "Needs you to be strong? Garry, don't you see? She wants to grieve with you. She doesn't know how, though, because all you've ever been is strong. No matter what, you always kept a smile on your face and gave it your all just to guarantee her safety and contentment. In a way, your selflessness was also selfishness. I understand it now. She's distanced herself because she is doing exactly what you've been doing to her. She doesn't want to be a burden."

Garry turned away and clenched the banister again. Everything Shane said was excruciatingly accurate. All he had wanted to do was to be there for Ib and to protect her, but he also voided her of any connection or ability to comfort him or feel sorrow with him. For the longest time, the only noise that could be heard was the sound of the rain. Shane turned around and leaned his body onto the banister.

"You can come on out, Ib. I know you've been listening." Garry did not turn around; he was afraid at what would happen next, and he was not sure why. He heard the door creak fully open and Ib's feet shuffling on out. Shane stood upright and sighed. "Well, I'll leave you two alone for a moment." He walked inside and closed the door. Timidly, Ib walked up beside Garry and placed her hands on the banister.

"How much did you hear?" Garry asked.

"I heard enough." She twiddled her thumbs for a moment. "…I'm sorry, Garry. I really didn't mean to be so distant. I truly am an awful person for doing this to you during a time such as this."

Garry shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Ib. I'm sorry, too."

Again, only rain was heard for the longest time. Ib looked up at her husband's face to see it stoic again. She wanted to help him, but she was afraid he would get frustrated with her. Yet, she decided to give it a try.

"It's okay, you know."

"Huh?"

"To let it all out. It's okay."

Garry shook his head. "Don't be silly. I'm fine."

Ib smiled sadly. "…Humans can only be strong for so long. You've done your part, and you've done it well," she said as she reached and laced her fingers into Garry's fingers. Garry's eyes widened, and he locked his eyes onto the puddles again. "It's okay. You can let it all go now."

The kindness in Ib's words took him by surprise, and before he could stop himself, he felt a tear glide down his cheek. Shortly, more began to fall, and soft sobs escaped his lips. Pain, torment, and heartache that had been pent up inside was finally released, and this time, it was Ib's turn to be the one for support. She stood there in silence, her hand wrapped around his, the barrier around them at last broken.

The only thing left to do now was to heal.


	11. Bliss

Inevitably, time pressed on, the memories of days spent together with Roy and Mary the fuel that kept them going. They became each other's vim and vigor during the difficult times, and at times when it seemed as though a smile would never appear, one of them would do something to bring a smile back on their faces. When school started back, Ib focused harder on her classes, at times immersing herself in her studies. Garry, even though he had always been involved with his students, became more involved, helping more with fundraisers and school events. Mason, still Ib's friend, would try his best to keep her mind off things; to do this, he would play his guitar with her. For a time, it worked. Each day, it became slightly easier to deal with the pain. Soon, it was as if they weren't constantly finding ways to make them forget.

A year passed without any word from Roy's journey in finding the "real" Mary. A year of heartache mixed with joy and laughter. It took a whole year before they could pass by the museum without getting choked up, or seeing the apartment Roy and Mary stayed in without painful memories flooding their minds. On the anniversary of Mary's fading, Ib and Garry stood at the trashcan in which she had burned the painting- the essence of her existence. Ib played her guitar and sang the song she had written for Garry. She choked up once or twice, but she was able to finish the song without stopping. Garry put his arm around her and held her to him, and for some time, they stood there in silence. They were grateful for each other, for without their added strength, the pain would be almost too much to bear. Day by day, one step at a time, their hearts continued to mend. Their love for each other never faltered or changed. While they would never fully get over Mary's disappearance and Roy's leave of absence, they recuperated and began to live life again.

Ib's birthday was just around the corner, and Garry wondered what he could get her. Ib was particularly a picky person, and while he knew he could always get her a new pair of relaxation pants (her favorite type of clothing), he wanted to get her something else that meant so much more. After wracking his brain for several days, he decided to just ask her what she wanted. Not exactly romantic, but he knew she would not mind. So, one night, he sat down next to her on the couch. They were both in their pajamas, ready to relax.

"So, Ib," he spoke, "I have a question."

"Hmm? What is it?"

Garry smirked, unable to hide his mortification. "Well, you see… I would like to know what you would like for your birthday."

Ib giggled. "Silly. I don't need anything."

"I didn't ask you what you needed, dork," he joked. "I asked you what you wanted."

She looked down at the carpet, her eyes lost in thought. "Wanted…?"

"Yup! Anything!"

With this, Ib reached up and placed her hand on her stomach. "…What if…" She stopped.

"Hmm?"

"What if… I wanted a baby?"

Garry jolted, stunned. Ib was nearly twenty-three, and while they had been married nearly three years now, it should not have stunned him that she was ready for a child. By the way he reacted, Ib took her hand off her stomach and put it down at her side. Her cheeks turned red from chagrin.

"I-I'm sorry," she nervously smiled. "I'll think of something else."

At this, Garry let out a small chuckle and wrapped his hand around her hand. "It just took me by surprise, Ib. I wouldn't mind starting a family, myself."

Ib turned toward Garry, her face beaming with happiness. "You mean…"

Garry leaned forward and kissed her softly. "Whenever you're ready, we can start trying." Ib's cheeks turned read again, giving him his answer. Wordlessly and effortlessly, he lifted her off the couch and carried her into their bedroom. He sat her on the bed and sat down beside her, where they began to kiss lovingly and passionately. She laid back, she and Garry never breaking their kiss, her arms wrapped around his neck that brought him down with her. Moment by moment, their fervor intensified; their clothing was scattered about the room, and the sounds of their love filled the air. At the most intense moment, Garry suddenly stopped at looked down into Ib's eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked, winded.

"…Are you ready? Are you sure this is what you want?" Garry asked, his cheeks crimson. Due to his nervousness, Ib became nervous as well. While making love was not anything new, the next step was going to be something they had never done before. Despite her apprehensiveness, she reached up and brushed Garry's bangs out of his face.

"I'm ready," she replied. With her response, their session continued, and soon their release was granted. Breathless and drenched in sweat, Garry laid his head on Ib's chest; while he was very slim, he made sure not to put his full weight on her much smaller frame. She held him in her arms and ran her fingers through his hair. They both knew that it was not necessarily guaranteed that she would conceive the first time, but as of the moment, they laid in each other's arms, blissful.

However, Ib did not conceive the first time. Nor the second or third. Nor several other times after that. Both were confused as to what was wrong, but they continued to try. With Ib's birthday merely two weeks away, they had hope that she would by then. One rainy day, after making love again, Ib laid in Garry's arms, watching the rain fall. He could tell that she was discouraged, so he asked her if there was anything he could do for her.

"I'm fine, Garry. I promise."

"You seem so down, Ib…"

Ib smiled. "Maybe just a little. But, I'm okay. I promise."

Another week passed. While they were getting ready for their day one sunny morning, Ib suddenly got sick. Garry offered to stay home with her, but she reassured him that she was all right and for him to go on to teach. He did as she asked and went about his day, calling her at lunch to check on her. On his way home, he decided to stop at the post office; he hadn't been in three days. When he checked the mail, he saw a letter with rather familiar handwriting. He opened it up, surprised to see just one sentence: _I found her._

Immediately, he knew who had sent the letter. A smile instantly spread across his face, and he nearly ran out of the post office and would have if his leg would have let him. As quickly as he could, despite the pain his leg was in, he hurried home to show Ib the letter. As he rounded the corner, he was also surprised to see Ib standing in the parking lot of their apartment complex, a curious smile on her face. He made his way over to her, unable to hide his smile as well. Placing the letter in her hands, they both laughed together, happy to finally hear news from Roy, despite it being so short. Regardless, it was good news. Garry asked Ib if she was feeling better, to which she replied that she was. When he asked her why she was standing there waiting for him, the answer made him wrap his arms around her while blissful tears flowed from both of their eyes.

Ib was going to have a baby.


	12. A Life Worth Living

It had not been an easy task, leaving everything behind. For a while, he just drove around and lived in his car that his father had given him. When Roy went home and told his father the "edited" version of what had happened, his father allowed him to take his old car so that he could search for Mary. He honestly had no idea where to go; all he knew to do was to look around art exhibits and ask about Mary Guertena and hope that perhaps she was there. Sleep did not come often, and when it did, he would dream about days gone by. Several times, when he awoke, he would find himself on the verge of tears; not once had he let those tears escape, and it was starting to take its toll.

He hated this. He hated looking for a "Mary" that was not his.

But, he promised. And that promise was what kept him going. All the sleepless nights, all the heartache he endured- but that promise pushed him to continue regardless.

Finally, after a month of searching, he found the city she lived in. He decided to find out where she lived, and hoped that perhaps she would not find him too intrusive or weird. It took him some time, but he eventually discovered where she resided and drove there. What stunned him was that it was not a mansion that he had thought it was going to be since her father was a famous painter. It was a small home that perhaps needed some tender-loving care. He sat in his car for quite some time, unable to think of what to do if she did answer the door. How could he explain all that happened or why he was there? It certainly would sound absurd, and he was certain she would think he was on drugs and strung out. After some time, he inhaled and exhaled nervously and went to the door. He knocked a couple of times and waited a moment until she answered the door.

When he saw her, it was like he had been punched in the stomach by Lou Ferrigno. She looked just the same… Never before in his life had he ever wanted to run away from something as much as he wanted to then. Apprehension, nervousness, melancholy, and happiness all mixed inside his chest. Memories of the days gone enveloped his mind, and his body felt as if it had been dipped in boiling water. By the look on her face, she was stunned to see him as well. The only thing that could be heard was the wind and the rustling of the leaves.

What happened next was not something he expected. She reached out slowly and gently touched his face. Unsure on what to do, he just stood there and let her do this. Her eyes locked onto his, and a soft smile spread across her face.

"…I know your face," she quietly said.

"And I know yours," he replied rather softly as well.

She blinked slowly. "I dreamt about you. I saw life through her eyes while mine were closed." She lowered her hand from Roy's face to her heart. "What happened to you was unfair and too cruel… My father broke you so." Her eyes filled with tears, and one lone tear escaped from her eye. "…I'm sorry."

Roy was puzzled by what had just been revealed. His Mary had dreamed about her counterpart, while the counterpart dreamed about his Mary. This Mary also apologized for the pain her father had caused, and cried on their behalf. He shook his head, not wanting her to feel guilty for something that was not her fault.

"Don't be upset… it happened and it's over," Roy spoke, some bitterness to his tone. Mary did not take it to heart, for she did not blame him for his resentment.

"Aren't I just being rude? Please, come in," she offered.

Roy shook his head again. "No, thank you. It's late, and I just wanted to make sure this is where you lived." He turned around and took a step forward.

"I understand," Mary began, her voice full of heartache. "You made your promise and you kept it." At this statement, Roy froze, his eyes wide in shock. So, she had seen it all- even the promise he had made to his Mary. "I'm sorry it took you so long to find me, but I'm glad you held true to your word. She would be happy."

He did not turn around to look at her. "Not quite… I still have another part of the promise to keep."

Mary smiled sadly. "You don't have to do that. I couldn't ask that of you."

"…You couldn't, and perhaps you won't… but she did," he mildly argued. He started to walk again.

"W-wait," she called out to him. He stopped again. "Where are you sleeping?" When he did not reply, she was given her answer. "Please… I know it's a lot to ask, but I don't want you sleeping in your car anymore. My house may be small, but it's cozy and spacious enough for two people. I have another room you can sleep in, and you can perhaps finally get a good night's rest." Good night's rest? Roy had forgotten what that was like. It sounded enticing, but… "I'll leave you alone and not bother you with anything. It's the least I can do for you coming this far."

He wasn't sure what he should do. He felt as if he should just get back in his car and drive away, but at the same time there was a compelling notion to stay. Was it because of who she was, or better yet, what she reminded him of? A moment or two passed until he simply nodded, to which she stepped back and allowed him to enter her house. After she shut the door behind them, he expected questions from her, but that did not occur. To his surprise, she merely smiled at him and walked away to the kitchen, where she proceeded to prepare dinner. Unsure on where he would stay, he just stood rooted in front of the door. His eyes wandered around the house, taking in his surroundings. Something odd stood out to him; where were pictures of her and her parents? Also, why was it that she lived in a small place such as this when her father had abundant fortune?

"Oh, silly me," he heard her speak, which brought him out of his thoughts. "I suppose you would like to know where you will be sleeping." She walked out of the kitchen and to a door to the left then opened the door. "Here you go. Dinner will be ready in a moment. I was working on it when you came here. I'll bring your food to you when it's done."

Roy walked into the room to see a bed, nightstand, drawers, and a small TV. The room itself was relatively plain, but obviously so much better compared to his car. He sat down on the bed, surprised that it was incredibly comfortable.

"Thanks, Ma-" he stopped when he noticed she had walked away. With a sigh, he lay down and looked up at the ceiling, stunned that there were no thoughts going through his mind. For the first time in a long time, he was comfortable enough that he felt his eyelids getting heavier and heavier… Mary walked into his room, a plate of fish, rice, and steamed broccoli in one hand and a glass of water in the other. When she looked up, she stopped and smiled, happy to see Roy fast asleep. Quietly, she exited the room and went to her own, where she ate alone.

He slept for nearly two days straight. At first, Mary was quite worried, but she kept her distance and let him catch up on rest. When he finally woke up, he exited his room to find the bathroom so that he could clean up. After showering and brushing his teeth, he noticed that he had not seen or heard Mary yet, so he started searching throughout the house for her. The last room he had to search was her bedroom. At first, he did not realize where he was; she had left the door open, and he just found himself entering the room. When he did realize, he started to leave, but he noticed numerous paintings scattered around. Curious, he walked up to them and studied them; he was stunned at what he saw.

The paintings were of his life with Mary, Ib, and Garry. Even the brief time Allen and Nora were there with them was before his eyes. It was moments that meant so much to everyone: the first time they all met at the lake; when they helped Mary at the museum, the moment when he had comforted Mary once she found out who she really was… so many tender moments were painted on canvasses. At last, he spotted the final painting… the painting was of the day Mary had faded away. Breathless, he reached out and gently touched it. A lump rose in his throat; he had yet to cry. She depended on him… he could not show weakness.

He missed her. So much.

"…I didn't think you would enter this room," he heard. The real Mary had returned home. "I had to do some grocery shopping. I thought you would still be asleep…"

"Why do you have these?" he asked, not facing her.

"I… well… I like to paint in my spare time, and-"

"Just because you 'saw' us doesn't mean you can just pretend to have been in those moments," he snapped.

She took a step back, a feeling of guilt washing over her. "That's… that's not what I was doing at all," she meekly retorted. "I just… I-"

He turned and walked toward the door. He stopped beside her but did not look at her. Her heart nearly beat out of her chest; he had every right to be upset. It would seem to others that she was perhaps stalking the other Mary's thoughts and memories to live them as her own.

"Keep these out of my sight." He took a couple of steps-

"You're not yourself…"

Jerking to a stop, he was startled by her statement. At the same time, he was angered as well. What did she know about him? Indeed, she had witnessed memories of him, but that meant nothing. She had not spent years with him. She had not shared the same bed, worked at the same place, or had those tender moments.

"…Why did you paint those? Why did you keep them? To let me see them? To torture me of times that will no longer happen?" he whispered.

"No," she spoke. "To give me hope."

He turned around, his eyes wide from shock. Hope? Hope for what? What honestly else could this woman want out of life? The daughter of a famous artist surely had never had to suffer or want for anything.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

She averted her gaze and smiled sadly. "Does it matter? I have groceries to put up. Get some rest."

Days passed by. Days of almost complete silence. Mary was used to the silence, for she had lived alone for quite some time. She continued to paint whenever she had the chance; she worked as a librarian at the college she went to. It had its perks since she had time to do homework. Roy felt lazy, and would often find himself cleaning the house for her. Never the one to stay idle, he looked for tasks to do. When she would return home, he would avoid her and often give her the cold shoulder. Understandably, she would keep out of his way; however, she would still fix him meals and leave them at his door. Yet, despite her understanding his bitterness, she was becoming resentful for the way he was treating her. If he had promised to the other Mary to try to get to know her, he was doing a horrendous job at upholding that pledge.

Another week passed, and before he knew it, he had been there a month. A month turned into two, and two became three. Small exchanges were made between the two, but nothing more. Usually, he was short with her or just ignored her in general. He did not know why he was so bitter towards her. He felt as if she was trying too hard to replace what he had lost, but she was not the type of person to do so. Day by day, he began to become conscious that he was not being his usual self, and he felt sorry for her. All she had done was offered him a helping hand and a roof over his head. He even got a part time job cooking at a restaurant again just so that he could help out financially. One morning, he walked out of his room just in time to see Mary heading out the door. It was storming outside, and the wind was blowing severely. A small urge of compassion hit him, and for the first time since he had been there, he spoke sincerely to her: "Be careful."

Either she had not heard him, or she was in too big a hurry to acknowledge his words, because she simply closed the door behind her. Once he ate breakfast and readied himself for the day, he decided to go out to the mailbox so that she would not have to when she returned. The wind nearly pushed him over while he was out, and he hoped she would be all right out in it. Inside, he sorted through the mail to see that Garry had written back to him. He quickly opened the envelope, ecstatic to hear from his best friend.

_It's great to finally hear from you, friend. Sorry there was such a long delay. We've been busy._

_So, you found her? I know it's going to be different. And I know this isn't something that you want to be doing. You and I both know that finding her won't change a thing, but this is what our Mary wanted. Just hang in there as long as you can… she may pull through. _

_On a lighter note, I'm going to be a father! The day we received your later, Ib found out she was with child. When you get the chance, you should come back and visit us. We both hope that maybe you can be here for the birth. If she wants, you could bring Mary along. _

_Keep your chin up, Roy. And never forget, you'll always have a place here._

_Garry_

Garry always seemed to know what to say. Roy decided he was to talk to Mary that night when she returned home. He prepared supper for her, and when she came home, he noticed that she was certainly surprised by this act of kindness. She walked into the kitchen, grabbed her plate of food, and wordlessly walked into her bedroom, where she shut the door behind her. He was prepared for this reaction. All this time, he had been so rude to her. He knocked on her door and waited a moment before she opened it.

"I… was hoping we could eat together," he spoke. She stared at him as if she was trying to determine what was on his mind, but she turned and grabbed her plate. They went into the kitchen and sat at the table, where they continued to eat in silence. It was some time before anyone spoke.

"I got a letter from home today," Roy began, breaking the ice.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. You remember Garry and Ib, right? Well, they're going to have a baby."

"That's exciting," Mary quietly said, a small smile on her face.

"Yeah. Apparently she's about four months along." He looked down at his plate. "…I can't believe I've been away for so long."

"Then why don't you go back?"

That was not a response he was prepared for. He looked up from his plate to her eyes, only to see that she was staring at her plate. "Go back?"

"You've been here a long time… I think you should go home," she stated softly. "I appreciate you getting a job and keeping the house clean during your time here, but you're not happy. And neither am I." Roy thought he saw a tear fall from her face. "…I was honestly happier before you came here."

This statement hit Roy hard. He had been making her miserable. Heart heavy, he stopped eating and slid his chair back away from the table. None of this was her fault, and yet he had treated her as if it was. She showed him so much kindness while he continued to show her acrimony. For a moment, he had nothing to say. What could he say to that?

"Mary… I am… I am really sorry."

She smiled, her eyes still locked onto her plate. "It's fine. Really. I think it's better off this way."

"No. No, it's not."

For the first time all evening, she finally looked up into Roy's eyes. "…I don't want you to feel as if you're tied down by that promise. Please… go home…"

He felt as if he could not breathe, but he stood up and walked into her room. Confused, she jumped up and followed him to see that he stood at her paintings. Scared at what he might do to them, she started to grab them, but he stopped her.

"These. Why did you paint these?"

"I already told-"

"I know you said to give you hope. But hope for what?"

She shook her head. "That's none of your business."

"If you didn't want to get to know me, or us, why did you bother with these?"

Tears filled her eyes. "Stop."

"Why did you paint these, Mary? Why did you keep them after all this time?"

All at once, she exploded out in sobs. "Because I wanted the life she had!" Roy jerked, taken aback. "I wanted friends and a family like hers! I wanted to be loved and to love in return! I had none of that! Not once!" She tried wiping her tears away, but they flowed faster than she could wipe. "You think all those paintings were my father's? That they were all his doing? I painted those! The big one in the museum? Yeah, that was mine. I would paint for my father, hoping that he would love me. He never had anything to do with me. All those paintings I sent him, yeah he took them, but as his own. I never got gratification or anything from him… I was… so alone…

"And then I started seeing life through her eyes… I saw how you loved her so much, and how she loved you… The friendship she had with Garry and Ib, and Nora and Allen… I was jealous at first, but then I thought… if I work hard, I can have that…" She wiped more tears away. "…But, you know what? No matter how hard I tried, no one would ever love me. The day you showed up… I wanted nothing more than to hug you, because I thought that perhaps you wanted to at least get to know me… and yet… and yet…"

She bowed her head and cried harder. All the frustration she had just continued to spill out. She started to walk away so that Roy would not have to see her cry anymore, but she found herself walking into Roy's embrace instead. Stunned, she looked up into his eyes to see them warm and full of empathy.

"Life has been so unfair to you… and I know I haven't been much better. You don't have to worry anymore; I'm not going anywhere. And… I'm sorry."

Her tears began to fall again, but this time for a different reason. Roy's embrace was so unexpected, but so affectionate that she found herself burying her head in his chest, her tears soaking his shirt. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly as she wept in his arms.

That night, he held her until she fell asleep.

From that moment on, things were much different. It was still slightly awkward, but they worked on patching their relationship. Laughter was not an uncommon expression anymore. Time went on, the two earning each other's trust and respect. Nearly four months passed, and Roy finally had enough money saved up to where he could go back home. As he got his belongings together, Mary helped him. All at once, he stopped and looked at her.

"Come with me."

She raised an eyebrow, confused. "What?"

"I want you to come with me. Even if it is to visit, I'll help you make your way back. I'm sure they'll want to meet you."

She played with her side-braid, nervousness plainly visible on her face. "Roy… I don't know…"

"Garry asked for you to come in his letter," Roy smiled. "It's okay. I want you to come with me."

A smile spread across her face, and her eyes lit up. Roy felt a peculiar twinge in his chest. "All right. Let me get my things together."

Unable to hide his joy, Roy… smiled as well.


	13. A Precious Treasure

Garry opened the door to his and Ib's apartment, and immediately seemed surprised to see Roy and Mary in front of him. Mary, certainly and understandably, felt awkward there, but Roy's gentle smile gave her enough reassurance to hold firm. With a smile, he allowed them inside and excused himself for just a moment.

What confused Roy was that Garry looked so tired and worn. Dark circles and bags were under his eyes, and it was as if he hadn't shaved in a bit. Since it was the middle of winter, the apartment was warm, and a Christmas tree with presents under it was in the living room. Other than that, there were no other Christmas decorations, which also surprised Roy since Ib and Garry were so into the season. Snow fell gently outside, already adding to the few inches that was accumulated on the ground. In a moment, Garry returned and offered them coffee, to which they gladly obliged. When he started the coffee, Roy asked where Ib was.

"She's asleep," Garry answered quietly. "I know it's been a while since we've talked, so sit down wherever you like, and I'll fill you in." They sat down at the counter so that they would be closer to Garry. "…Ib is sick."

"Sick?" Roy questioned.

"The doctors think that the baby is putting too much strain on her. For the first bit, everything was just… sort of falling into place. Then, one day when she came home from her classes, she nearly collapsed. We thought that perhaps she was exhausted from the changes her body was going through as well as the classes she was taking, but that was not the case." Garry reached in a cabinet and took down three coffee mugs. He sat them on the counter and stared at them. "I've been staying with her since. When I went to school to teach, her mother would stay with her, and when she couldn't, Shane did."

Roy felt guilty and horrible. He should have been here, helping his best friend during his moment of turmoil. Instead, he had been on a "journey" to find the real Mary, something that he could have held off doing until the time was right. So many times, Garry had been there for him without falter. With Ib's illness affecting her, no wonder there weren't many Christmas decorations. Garry had more than likely put the tree, but did not want to do anymore without the help of his wife; her joy of decorating for Christmas brought him joy. Without a doubt, Garry probably rarely slept, and spent all his time by his wife's side to ensure her safety and comfort. Roy exhaled a long, nearly soulless breath, unsure on what to say. He used to be so empathetic… what had happened?

"She's gonna be all right… right? I mean… you've all come this far. She has to be okay," Mary said timidly. Stunned by the concern in her voice, Roy felt his stomach drop. She was so compassionate, and her empathy for them was astounding. Garry looked up from his coffee cup to her and smiled.

"Of course she will be," he replied.

"Are you having a boy, or a girl?" Mary questioned.

Garry smiled again. "A little girl."

"Aww!" Mary beamed, a wide, excited smile on her face. "That's so precious! I'm going to buy her the prettiest little dress!"

Garry laughed warmly, but it was still not enough to hide his exhaustion. "You don't have to do that, Mary."

Mary shook her head. "You're right. I don't. But I'm going to! She's going to be the most adorable little thing ever!"

Without the ability to stop himself, Roy clenched his jaw. "Where do you get off waltzing in here and just picking up where she left off?"

Immediately after saying it, he felt terrible. Garry no longer smiled; he seemed startled by Roy's sudden outburst of anger. Mary's excitement disappeared quickly, and her smile vanished instantaneously from her face. She thought they were past this. He had done so well for so long; where did this anger come from? Wordlessly, Roy got up from his chair and walked outside. Mary started to follow, but Garry softly grabbed her shoulder to stop her. He then followed after him, which left Mary alone. She decided to go check on Ib.

Outside, Roy shivered from a sudden burst of arctic wind. He heard the door open and close, but he did not expect Garry to be the one to follow him out. Garry stood next to him, and for a moment or two, not a word was said.

"It's not easy, is it?" Garry questioned. Roy jerked; he had half expected Garry to chastise the way he went off on Mary, but that did not happen. "It's not her fault."

"…You don't know."

"Oh? How could it be her fault?"

Roy clenched the banister. "She started this all. She did those paintings, not Guertena."

Garry raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand."

Since Garry was clueless, Roy explained to him everything that Mary had revealed to him while he had stayed with her. Patiently and without interruption, Garry listened to every word that Roy told him. After he was through, Roy felt as though Garry would be slightly upset with Mary, but instead, he simply smiled and shook his head.

"That makes sense…" he quietly said. "All the feeling she poured into her paintings…"

Roy gasped, a sudden realization upon him. Without Garry needing to explain anything else further, it did indeed make sense to him. Without any fault or meaning to, Mary's feelings that she had placed into the paintings had somehow manifested into a being like herself. Slowly, Roy unclenched the banister and sighed.

"I'm not sure coming back here was a good thing, Garry. I was fine until I got here. Now, it's like this bitterness has come out of nowhere."

Garry smiled. "Give it time. Also, find an outlet other than Mary. Hell, you can even take it out on me, if you want. Just don't treat her like that anymore. She doesn't deserve it."

Roy shook his head, his heart hollow. "No one does."

At that moment, Mary opened the door and walked outside. "Garry, Ib is awake. She's running a fever."

Garry exhaled sadly. "Again? All right, I'm coming."

Once Ib's fever went down, Garry convinced Roy and Mary to stay with them while they were there. He blew up his air mattress, which Roy would let Mary sleep on while he slept on the couch. Ib was elated to see them there, despite the sadness she felt upon seeing the counterpart to her friend. Ib informed Roy that Nora and Allen could not make it for the birth since they had an infant of their own. Roy could not hide his happiness for his two friends, and that in turn made Mary smile as well.

For two weeks, Garry watched over Ib relentlessly. Roy and Mary would help out as much as they could; they went out to get groceries and did everyone's laundry as well as keeping the house clean and cooked so that Garry would not have to worry near as much over the simpler things. Ib was more important. Fortunately enough, a doctor lived in the apartment complex and would make frequent visits in effort to help alleviate the illness and give comfort to her. Sometimes, she would run a high fever for days, while others, she would be in pain. Garry never slept, and he barely ate, despite Roy's and Mary's urges for him to do so. One night, while Ib was running yet another high fever, Garry tried to hide his qualms, but Roy and Mary knew he was upset. Ib woke up from a short sleep to see him holding her hand and his eyes full of sadness and concern. She smiled weakly at him and rubbed his hand with her thumb. Roy and Mary stood in the room and watched helplessly.

"What's the matter, Garry?" she asked.

"...What sort of question is that?" he whispered.

"Don't worry about me, silly. I'm fine. This baby is just requiring almost more than I can give, is all."

Garry shook his head. "It's more than that… I feel so powerless. I can't do a thing other than just sit here and hold your hand…"

Ib gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "You've done more than enough. Just let me do the rest."

With Ib's statement, Garry felt as if his heart had been pulverized. He bowed his head, tears stinging his eyes, as he held her hand in his. "I just want everything to fall into the right place for once…"

The next day, Ib went into labor two weeks early, but they were prepared. Garry carried her to their SUV while Roy and Mary loaded it with the necessities. With Roy driving, Mary in the passenger's seat, and Garry in the back with Ib, they took off to the hospital in the heavy snow. Used to driving in harsh conditions, Roy got them to the hospital safe and sound. Once inside, Ib was rushed into a delivery room, Garry at her side, while Mary and Roy were left in the waiting room. Both knew that it could be hours before the baby was born, and their nerves were giving them a hard kick. They wondered if Ib was strong enough to give birth, and if she would be all right. Also, their concerns were on Garry; he had been through enough, and if something happened to Ib or the baby… Unable to sit still, Roy paced around the room. Mary sat near the window and watched the snow as it continued to steadily fall. Two hours had passed, but to the two of them, it felt like two days. Mary had no nails left and was now down to the quick. Their thoughts were on nothing else but Garry and Ib and their baby.

Ib squeezed Garry's hand as she made a small but sharp cry. She was drenched in sweat and exhausted, but she continued to give it her all and do as the doctors asked. Garry had not left her side once, despite her nearly breaking his hand. Calmly and lovingly, he would encourage her to see it through. The doctors, naturally, performed all they could to help with the delivery, and were encouraging Ib as well. One last push. She gave it everything she had- Garry could feel it when she squeezed his hand. This was it, he was sure of it. It all hung on this one moment. All they had been through up until now- the morning sickness, the changes, Ib's illness- it all came down to this…

The cry of a newborn child filled the room. Not a second passed before a smile spread on Ib's and Garry's faces. Umbilical cord cut and the child cleaned, the doctors handed her to Garry, who looked upon his daughter and smiled. Instantly, he felt an unconditional, unexplainable love for her as he looked at her. It was a different emotion, a different feeling, to hold something that had been created out of love in his arms. He then looked down at Ib, whose tired eyes were focused on him and their daughter. To his surprise, Garry felt tears flow down his face. Soon, Ib found herself with tears as well.

"Love, look. She's beautiful," Garry said as he handed her to Ib. Although she was utterly fatigued, Ib held her baby for the first time. All the sickness she had went through did not matter anymore; she held a tiny miracle in her arms.

"Hi, sweetie," Ib smiled, blinking tears out her eyes. "I'm your mama. The one who held you before is your daddy."

Garry wiped away tears and sat down beside Ib and looked at their daughter. "Welcome, baby girl. We loved you the very moment we found out you were in Ib's belly." He gave Ib a gentle, quick kiss. "What should we name her?"

In moments, the doctors allowed Roy and Mary into the room. When they entered, they saw Ib with the baby in her arms. Both Ib and Garry seemed so exhausted, but nonetheless were so undeniably joyful; their love for the child could be felt upon immediately entering the room. Seeing his friends as parents for the first time, Roy was surprised at how well it suited them. They were indeed going to be amazing parents, and Roy hoped the best for them. Once at the bedside, they looked at the baby's face… she looked just like Garry.

"Roy, Mary," Ib spoke, her face radiant, "meet our daughter, Raelyn Olivia."


End file.
